Andover History and Archaeology Society

IN a beautifully illustrated talk, Kay Ainsworth, Keeper of Archaeology for Hampshire Museum Service, entertained and intrigued her audience at the meeting October meeting of the Andover History and Archaeology Society at Andover’s guildhall on 24 October.

Although the 500 years of Anglo-Saxon England (c.500-1066) are popularly characterised as Dark Ages, and the Anglo-Saxons lived in wooden houses and even their palaces were wooden, Kay amply demonstrated that their artistry and ornamental craftsmanship were exquisite.

Beginning her survey from the final years of Silchester Roman town and the departure of the Roman army from Britain in 410, she followed the early Anglo-Saxon invasions and settlement which avoided using existing Roman stone buildings. Typical finds from this time are horse harness fittings and shield bosses. The art forms they already knew were the La Tène style of running scrolls and enamel work, Byzantine products and the Germanic style, with interweaving writhing serpents, and symbols of the god Odin, including the raven.

In the late 6th century, when the Anglo-Saxons were more established, they divided the land into kingdoms and built higher status buildings like the hall at Cowdery’s Down, near Basingstoke. Chilcombe, near Winchester had a Saxon manor. Mount Pleasant cemetery in Alton had grave goods of ornaments with filigree gold thread. Cloisonné enamelled brooches have also been found from this period.

The mission of St Augustine started with the Kentish Anglo-Saxon kingdom under Æthelberht, who was converted to Christianity through his wife Bertha. Scriptoria were founded at Canterbury, and the art of illuminating manuscripts began to flourish. Now Christian symbols are interwoven with scrolling serpents. The Sutton Hoo ship burial, which can be dated to 627, has pagan boars and the raven mixed with Christian symbols.

Around 700, the Celtic Christian culture, which had been driven to the margins by the original Anglo-Saxon invasion produced the Book of Kells in Ireland, characterised by spirals, inhabited vine scrolls, inventive initial letters, and in the northeast the Lindisfarne Gospels. Increasing Viking raids destroyed the monasteries of Northumberland and destabilised much of the island. Late in the 8th century, the Pope appointed Charlemagne as the Holy Roman Emperor on the European mainland. He stimulated a renaissance of learning, head-hunting Alcuin from York to direct his cultural headquarters at Aachen.

In this country, with Alfred the Great’s final defeat of the Vikings and creation of a peaceful kingdom in Wessex, the conditions were right for an English renaissance of learning, which he centred on Winchester Old Minster. Here the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was started. Asser was brought from St David’s monastery in west Wales for half the year to supervise the scriptorium, becoming Alfred’s biographer. Alfred himself was an accomplished scholar and translator. Letters survive written by him commending his translation of Gregory the Great’s Book of Pastoral Rule to his bishops. Alfred also encouraged fine jewellery crafts, the Alfred jewel being an aestel or decorated head of a pointer to be used by the bishops in their reading.

The 10th century was a golden age of Anglo-Saxon crafts, with Winchester giving its name to a style of manuscript illumination with a framework of acanthus leaves, figures with a slightly surprised look, long fingers and delicate drapery, being all very active. There was also a tradition of embroidery of great quality. Roods at Romsey and Breamore, work in Nether Wallop church and Headbourne Worthy are from the later Anglo-Saxon period. The story almost comes to its end when William the Conqueror celebrates his conquest of England by ordering Anglo-Saxon nuns to embroider the tapestry for Bayeux cathedral.

In answer to questions, Kay said that the gold used in their jewellery was very pure, melted down Byzantine coinage. Garnets were imported from Afghanistan and India. The Sutton Hoo and Staffordshire hoards were contemporary and comparable. There might be links with Indian sculpture in decorated columns of writhing serpents. Cloisonné work had been perfected in Bronze Age Crete. Filigree thread was made by drawing gold through increasingly smaller holes in metal bars, though few gold-working tools had been found.

The society was very grateful for Kay’s authoritative and most fascinating talk.