Arts Council England
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Somerset's Chew Valley Hoard: £4.3m Norman treasure secured for public display
The South West Heritage Trust, one of our National Portfolio Organisations, has secured a hoard of 2,584 pennies valued at £4.3 million for permanent public access and enjoyment – making it the largest and most valuable treasure acquisition recorded to date.
The Chew Valley Hoard is from the Norman Conquest of England (c. 1066-68), a turning point in English history, and was discovered by seven metal detectorists in 2019 in the Chew Valley area of Bath and North East Somerset.
Thanks to major funding from the National Lottery and Art Fund, people across the country will be able to enjoy access to this unique hoard, marking a significant moment in the history and culture of the nation. In addition to funding a programme of activities associated with the find, it will enable the hoard to be accessible and sustained for years to come.
It highlights the power of museums, collections, and stories to inspire people and communities
The hoard will be displayed in London at the British Museum from 26 November. It will then tour museums across the UK, bringing the historically significant coins to the heart of communities across the country. The coins will then finally return to where they were unearthed, with the hoard securing a permanent home at the Museum of Somerset from 2026 for local people to engage with and be inspired by a distinctly local collection.
The Trust is one of 77 museums across England supported through our 2023-26 Investment Programme. It was founded in 2014 as an independent charity for Somerset, Devon and the South West, and was awarded £637,800 over the three years to run the Museum of Somerset in Taunton, Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury, and the Brick and Tile Museum in Bridgwater. Its collections offer communities the opportunity to engage with and celebrate the culture and heritage of the area.
Chew Valley Hoard Small Group © British Museum.
Emmie Kell, Director of Museums and Cultural Property at Arts Council England, recently commented:
“The news that the South West Heritage Trust, one of the Arts Council’s National Portfolio Organisations, has secured the unique Chew Valley coin hoard for permanent public enjoyment is fantastic.
“As the largest and most valuable treasure acquisition recorded to date, and a key part of the UK and Somerset’s shared history, it is crucial that residents and visitors would be able to access, enjoy and learn from the hoard for generations to come. In its new permanent home in the Museum of Somerset, I am delighted to see that access now guaranteed.”
Sam Astill, Chief Executive of the South West Heritage Trust, adds:
“It highlights the power of museums, collections, and stories to inspire people and communities and has been made possible thanks to a wide range of partners working together to ensure our heritage is protected and accessible for everyone. The hoard symbolises a pivotal moment in English history, and we are delighted to have made this acquisition so that it may be enjoyed by generations to come.
“As an Arts Council England funded National Portfolio Organisation, the Trust hopes to use the hoard to inspire audiences through a rich programme of cultural engagement, including work with schools and young people.”
The acquisition is made possible thanks to the support of a £4,420,527 development grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and £150,000 from Art Fund. Other contributors include the Friends of The Museum of Somerset, the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society.
Original article link: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/creative-matters/news/somersets-chew-valley-hoard-ps43m-norman-treasure-secured-public-display