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Four-way tussle over the Hoard
Tuesday 29th September 2009, 11:30AM BST.
A four-way fight has broken out over who will take on the Staffordshire Hoard – the largest find of Anglo-Saxon Gold in the country.
Campaigns are being mounted to keep the gold in Birmingham, Walsall, Lichfield and Stoke-on-Trent. Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, where more than 10,500 queued to see the items over the weekend, wants to buy the haul for a permanent exhibition in the city.
But MP Michael Fabricant has called for it to displayed in Lichfield, after it was discovered by one of his constituents, Terry Herbert of Burntwood.
Meanwhile, a member of Walsall Council believes that it should be displayed in the town, as it was discovered in a field which is yards from the Lichfield-Brownhills boundary, and Stoke-on-Trent City Council has called for the treasure to be housed at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery.
It emerged today that the Stoke and Birmingham museums were together launching a public fundraising campaign to help them keep it in the Midlands.
Councillor Alan Paul, who represents Brownhills, said: “The search was only a matter of inches from Walsall; it’s as near as that – it’s just the other side of the road.
“Several people have commented as to why Birmingham City Council have got involved.”
And Robert Johnson, of Walsall, contacted the Express & Star to express his surprise that the council is not involved.
He said: “To see Walsall and Brownhills being written out of this story is shameful.
“As Walsall has exhibition space, why isn’t Walsall being considered as a permanent home for this incredible find?
“I would much rather it went to the British Museum than, as is currently suggested, Stoke-on-Trent. It’s got nothing to do with Stoke.”
Birmingham City Council’s culture boss Councillor Martin Mullaney said: “The British Museum has indicated support for the finds ultimately remaining in the Midlands, and once the value has been set, we will be looking at creative fundraising opportunities to acquire the Hoard for the region.”
Mr Fabricant added: “Possible locations that immediately come to mind are St Mary’s Heritage Centre in Lichfield or Lichfield Cathedral.
“I also hope that some – if not all – of these relics of Saxon life in Mercia will find a permanent home in Lichfield District.”
The hoard, which is made up of more than 1,500 individual items, was discovered in July but was kept secret until last week.
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The ‘find’ should be displayed in the region where the land is, should that be Walsall then so be it.
As for it to be displayed in the area of Burntwood where Mr. Herbert lives, this is ridiculous! What if it was found by a Chinese person from Beijing, would it then have to be displayed in Beijing?
Someone sort it out!
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Yes, it was outside Walsall so it shouldn’t be displayed in Walsall. Nor should it be in Birmingham or Stoke. Lichfield seems the obvious solution.
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The items were found within the county boundary of Staffordshire. That is what county boundarys are for, to define the county.
So because Walsall district “is just over the road” has no relevance to the discussion.
Personally I don’t really care where it goes, except to say it would make sense to put it where it can earn the most revenue which isn’t likely to be Stoke or St Mary’s Heritage centre whatever that is?!
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The find was made in Burntwood. Burntwood’s district is Lichfield and its County is Staffordshire. Walsall has absolutely nothing to do with it. Saying it is close to the border is like saying something from Dover should be displayed in Paris!
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It should be in Walsall as it that is the nearest major town to where it was found.
It is ridiculous to suggest that because a Lichfield ‘constituent’ found it that it should go to Lichfield – If I made a discovery in Rome it should not come back to my hometown!
Stoke is an absurd proposition, Birmingham would be a disgraceful act of cultural theft and Walsall could really do with the tourism it would generate. We have a massive, high-security art gallery that holds work by Picasso and Van Goch and as such would be an ideal home within the local area in which the hoard was found.
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I live just down the road from the field in which the treasure was found, the post code for that area is WS8 which comes under Walsall, West Midlands. I think that Birmingham should be the logical place to keep and house the treasure as it’s central with easy access also Birmingham is famous for the Jewellery Quarter so why not exhibit it where Jewellery manufacturing is known around the world . We should be grateful that the treasure was found and that the gentleman who found it was honest enough to hand it over so that we are all able to look at such a find. It would be shame if they decided to split the find up because of the arguments over who should display these items.
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I live just down the road from the field in which the treasure was found, the post code for that area ans the farm is WS8 which comes under Walsall, West Midlands. I think that Birmingham should be the logical place to keep and house the treasure as it’s central with easy access also Birmingham is famous for the Jewellery Quarter so why not exhibit it where Jewellery manufacturing is known around the world . We should be grateful that the treasure was found and that the gentleman who found it was honest enough to hand it over so that we are all able to look at such a find. It would be shame if they decided to split the find up because of the arguements over who should display these items.
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I live just down the road from the field in which the treasure was found, the post code for that area is WS8 which comes under Walsall, West Midlands. I think that Birmingham should be the logical place to keep and house the treasure as it’s central with easy access also Birmingham is famous for the Jewellery Quarter so why not exhibit it where Jewellery manufacturing is known around the world . We should be grateful that the treasure was found and that the gentleman who found it was honest enough to hand it over so that we are all able to look at such a find. It would be shame if they decided to split the find up because of the arguements over who should display these items.
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I live just down the road from the field in which the treasure was found, the post code for that area and the farm is WS8 which comes under Walsall, West Midlands. I think that Birmingham should be the logical place to keep and house the treasure as it’s central with easy access also Birmingham is famous for the Jewellery Quarter so why not exhibit it where Jewellery manufacturing is known around the world . We should be grateful that the treasure was found and that the gentleman who found it was honest enough to hand it over so that we are all able to look at such a find. It would be shame if they decided to split the find up because of the arguements over who should display these items.
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“It should be in Walsall as it that is the nearest major town to where it was found.”
I dont know if thats actually true assuming the site is the junction of barracks lane and lichfield road. (which is in Lichfield District). Using google maps in the walking mode I make it 4.7 miles to lichfield and 6.1 miles to walsall. Im not too sure what the distances are as the crow flies but I would imagine it would still be shorter to Lichfield.
Saying that I would agree the findings should be displayed as close as possible to where they were found. So my preference would be in this order.
1. Lichfield
2. Walsall
3. Birmingham
4. Stafford
5. Stoke
Im not really sure why stoke is even being mentioned ok the gold was found in staffordshire but stafford is the county town not stoke. I dont think stoke is officially even part of staffordshire anymore. And I think it pretty clear the gold was found within the west midlands area not the potteries.
Also asumming this has something to do with the kingdom of Mercia this was based in the Trent valley area near Tamworth/Lichfield/Repton etc..
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I don’t think that Birmingham should claim to be a home because of its post-medieval jewelry industry – the hoard is not even jewelry but fragments of armour etc.
Let us not forget that Walsall IS a Staffordshire town and has only been in the synthetic county of the West Midlands since 1974 and since the abolition of that county in 1986 has been in limbo.
Yes, an argument could be made for the display of the hoard in Lichfield, but where would it be shown? Walsall is the nearest place with the secure space to store and display it.
I think the fact that Birmingham and Stoke has already put in a claim might result in it going there, Walsall Council will be shown to be philistines with no appreciation of the economic benefits of the massive tourism that this would bring.
If it does leave the area local people should not let this lie! Walsall Council can be embarrased on an international scale – Walsall is dying and this hoard is manner from heaven and could totally transform the town bringing in visitors from around the world – if they let it go to Brum without a fight it would be eternally unforgivable.
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The chap who found it is a member of the Bloxwich Research & Metal Detecting Society so naturally the Hoard should come to Bloxwich.
I am sure we could squeeze it into the Bloxwich Library & Theatre on the refurbishment is completed.
Don’t forget that Bloxwich (and Walsall) are historically part of Staffordshire.
Birmingham should certainly not have the Hoard – they think they are the kings of the non-existent ‘West Midlands County’ as it is!
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It should be based where it was found in my opinion. This doesn’t mean that other museums in the Midlands can’t show it, it could be shown for a month or so at each venue. Other museums have done things similarly.
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It cannot be in Birmingham. Have been to see the hoard today – what a shambles. Two and a half hours to see a handful of poorly displayed articles. Its only the fact that they are truely wonderful that stopped me from complaining.If this is an example of Brum’s capabilities of organising an exhibition heaven help us. It should be in the capital of the KINGDOM of MERCIA – TAMWORTH. Just a though but as most, if not all, appeares to be military with a few chritian items, could this be the lost site of the Battle of BRUNANBURH/BRUNEFELD/WENDUN.
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It cannot be in Birmingham. Two and half hours to queue for a few items – what a shambles. These are truely wonderful exhibits and cannot be left to return to the Barbarians. It must be shown at the capital of the KINGDOM of MERCIA – TAMWORTH, Lichfield was only the home of the bishopric and not the true centre of MERCIA. As most of the items appear to be military, and the pickings from a battlefield could this be the lost site of the Battle of Brunanburh
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What about it’s own centre built in Brownhills? It would be a compromise that kept everyone happy geographically, would allow the hoard to have it’s own specialist space and, let’s face it, Brownhills could really do with it.
Just a thought.
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The Staffordshire Hoard should without doubt remain in Staffordshire.
It was found in Staffordshire and the nearest city is Lichfield.
St. Chad of Lichfield brought together the Angles and the Celts so it would be a fitting place.
The Staffordshire Millenium Tapestries are also housed in Lichfield and these depict Staffordshire from Anglo Saxon times to the new millenium.
Tamworth has no real connection with this find
apart from Offa and this find may be from an earlier timeline.
Walsall’s only connection is that it was found near to the Staffs/West Midlands border.
It was however found in Staffordshire and should remain there. Walsall’s gallery is a modern building and there are more suitable venues. You might as well say that the hoard should be housed in Wolverhampton due to it’s Anglo Saxon origins.
Birmingham has no connection with this find.
Stoke on Trent is in Staffordshire but there is no connection with the find. Stoke are also very picky about what they exhibit which is why the statue of Captain Smith is in Lichfield.
Stafford is a possibility however I would favour the permanent home of Lichfield.
Perhaps the hoard could be permanently housed at Lichfield and occasionally displayed in other Staffordshire towns.
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