Midas touch as prince handles hoard of gold

The Prince of Wales enjoyed a close-up view of treasures from the Staffordshire Hoard, becoming the first royal to handle the artefacts for more than 1,300 years.

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were shown some of the gold and silver 7th Century items at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery.

The couple were in Stoke-on-Trent yesterday to mark the centenary of the federation of the city's six towns.

The prince was allowed to examine three items from the hoard, unearthed near Brownhills, including a crumpled cross and a sword handle.

Nearly 120 pieces of the treasure are on show.

The prince chatted with farmer Fred Johnson, who owns the field near Hammerwich where the artefacts were found in July.

Museum officials said Charles and Camilla seemed fascinated by the craftsmanship of the processional cross.

Collections officer Deb Klemperer accompanied the couple during their visit and said: "The prince was really interested, as was the Duchess of Cornwall.

"It was the first time a royal had handled what was a royal collection in 1,300 years, and he kept asking questions about the workmanship, which you might expect as he is an archaeology graduate."

Privileged

Mr Johnson, aged 65, said he felt privileged rather than proud that the artefacts were unearthed on his land.

"You can be proud of something you have done yourself.

"This was just an incredible stroke of luck," added Mr Johnson.

Experts believe the craftsmanship of the hoard items is of such high quality that they are likely to have belonged to Anglo-Saxon kings of Mercia.

The prince's ancestors include Ealhswaith, the wife of Alfred the Great, who was the grand-daughter of Mercian king Wigmund and great-grand-daughter of Wiglaf.

The exhibition will run until March 7 and is part of an effort to raise £3.3million to buy the hoard for the Potteries and Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

To make a donation to the cause, or for further information, telephone 0844 415 4004.

By John Corser