The Norman Conquest coin hoard will be on display in Bath before permanent display | legacy

The coins were buried in a valley in the west of the English country nearly 1,000 years ago at a time of massive political and social unrest.

A thousand years later, plans were announced to return the Chew Valley Hoard, 2,584 silver coins hidden shortly after the Norman Conquest, to south-west England.

The exhilarating story of how the coins, worth more than £4 million, were found by a group of metal detectors, will be told, but visitors will also be encouraged to reflect on how the world continues to be dominated by concerns about conflict, the actions of the powerful and money.

The idea isn’t just about showing the coins and telling their history, said Sam Astill, chief executive of the South West Heritage Trust, which acquired the hoard for the nation last year.

“There will also be a conversation about turning points, turning points in history or in people’s lives. The Wadi Al-Madh treasure represents a turning point in the story of our nation,” he said.

“But as well as causing unrest after [Norman] Invasion, there is a contemporary relevance that we seek as well. I think we’ll ask our visitors to imagine what they felt like in 1066 and 1067 when the ruling class was abolished and there was essentially no government. Obviously, they will rely on their own views and ideas in response.

Seven finders discovered the treasure south of Bath in 2019. Last year, the nation’s coins were acquired and displayed at the British Museum in London, where they were viewed by thousands of visitors. The treasure is now in storage at the museum.

The South West Heritage Fund on Wednesday announced a £993,345 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver a two-year engagement project to commemorate the treasure and mark the 1000th anniversary of the birth of William the Conqueror in 1028.

The coins will be on display at the Roman Baths Museum, Bath, from January to March 2027. They will then be moved to temporary exhibition space at the Somerset Museum in Taunton while a permanent exhibition is built for them there. There will be activities, learning opportunities and other events centered around coins.

The treasure is believed to have been buried for safekeeping in 1067 or 1068, the time of rebellions in the southwest against William the Conqueror.

Less than half of the coins feature Harold II, the last crowned Anglo-Saxon king of England, who was killed at the Battle of Hastings. Just over half feature William the Conqueror. There is one coin bearing the image of Edward the Confessor.

About 100 mints – the individuals responsible for producing coins – are represented from 46 mints including Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Hastings, Ipswich, London and York. Coins of Harold II come mainly from mints in south-east England, which may indicate financial preparation for the Norman Conquest.

Although many people had an understanding of 1066 and the Battle of Hastings, they knew little about what happened next, Astill said. “There was a long transition to full Norman rule and there were periods of unrest and rebellion particularly here in the south-west.”

The city of Exeter, located 70 miles southwest of where the treasure was buried, was a center of Norman resistance and was besieged by William in 1068. “It is likely that the coins were deposited for safekeeping during that period,” Astell said.

Federica Smith-Roberts, Somerset Council Councilor and Executive Member for Communities, Housing and Culture, said: “The Chewing Valley Treasure is a hugely important treasure in every sense and we cannot wait to welcome it back to our Somerset home.”