Hoard claims stepped up
Wednesday 30th September 2009, 10:11PM BST.
The Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire James Hawley has waded into the debate over where the Staffordshire Hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold should be kept.
Mr Hawley said the find belonged in Staffordshire where it was found. The 1,500 items were discovered by Terry Herbert, aged 55, using a metal detector in a farmer’s field in Burntwood. The hoard is the largest Anglo-Saxon collection of gold found in the UK.
It is now on show at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
But the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire, who is the Queen’s representative, said the collection should be found a permanent home in the county. He said: “It has got to be brought back to Staffordshire, of course it has. It can’t go anywhere else.”
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If possible the Staffordshire Hoard should go to Lichfield. It could be displayed there with the city’s two other Anglo-Saxon treasures from the 8th Century that are already there; the Lichfield Gospels, which rival those of Lindisfarne and Kells in their beauty, and the Lichfield Angel, the recently discovered carving with it’s original paintwork from the shrine of St Chad. The three would make the city a centre of Anglo-Saxon art and study.
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The items should be displayed at Lichfield with the city’s two other Anglo-Saxon treasures from the 8th Century. The Lichfield Gospels matching those of Lindisfarne and Kells in beauty, and the Lichfield Angel a carving with original paintwork from the shrine of St Chad. Together they would make the city a centre of Anglo-Saxon art and study.
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WADE IN!!!!
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The farm wasn’t or isn’t in Burntwood… it’s just down the road from me … it’s in Brownhills ! The postcode is a WS8 one so it comes under Walsall.
Let it stay in Birmingham the home of the Jewellery Quarter, at least in Birmingham it’s central so all can see it .
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Why not find a home for it in the town where it was found – we have little enough in Burtnwood, Chase Terrace, Chase Town and Boney Hay in the way of any facilities, attractions etc compared to Lichfield. It would bring visitors in, help regenerate the area and assist local businesses.
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For the first time in the 66 years of my life I am ashamed to have to confess to people that I come from Staffordshire in the Midlands. The greed and lust for treasure exhibited by the local great and good all laying claim to the hoard has been stomach churning. Epecially when it involves people who are normally only interested in closing down museums and galleries to save money.
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you would have to nail it down in brownhills
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When the items were put in the ground there was no Staffordshire or West Midlands, only the Kingdom of Mercia. The closest major town would have been Lichfield or Tamworth. Why send these treasures to a city that did not even exist at the time (r.e. the Elgin Marbles at the British Museum)? They have a definite link to the history of the area and we must preserve them within the area, in a surrounding that will share that link with history. My vote goes to Lichfield.
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The lord lieutenant, what a pansy title.
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When the items were buried there was no Staffordshire or West Midlands, only the Kingdom of Mercia. The closest major towns were Lichfield and Tamworth. The quality and value of the finds makes it hard not to believe that they have a direct link to these towns. Sending the treasure to one of the big cities, to be displayed (and blend in) amongst thousands of similar treasures only serves to lose their identity and context. Think of the example of the Elgin Marbles at the British Museum. My vote would go to Lichfield, but unfortunately money talks and the treasures will invariably end up with whoever can pay the most.
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LOL jimmy, maybe he is a relative of the almighty Jah?
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