People filled Adel Church on 18^th February to hear Emeritus Professor Joyce Hill present her illustrated talk on the Staffordshire Hoard. She was introduced by Dr Barrie Hopson, Chairman of the Adel Association who, with the Church, hosted the talk to raise money for the church bell-tower. He stressed that although the Association was non-denominational our ancient church was an important part of the community. He emphasised how lucky we are to have Joyce as a speaker by mentioning that she was just back from Rome where she had been a guest of the Vatican.

Joyce did not disappoint. The images (courtesy of the British Museum and the Portable Antiquities Scheme) were excellent –and she put them into context. We learned that the hoard of over 1,500 items, weighing 5 kg (12 ½ lbs), and valued at £3.3 million was discovered in July 2009. It is stylistically similar to the Sutton Hoo ship burial which is datable through its coins to the 7^th century. The newest hoard consisted of “bits” of military equipment and a folded gold cross bearing a warlike biblical inscription. The tiny nature of the fragments and the exquisiteness of the workmanship was stressed. The recurrent patterns of intertwined animals biting each other in the gold-work, often set off with garnets, spoke of the excellence of the craftsmen. There were no images of the silver items – work on cleaning them had yet to be done.

There was no context for the find – no body, no nearby buildings –although the find-site was not far from Watling Street or from Tamworth, then capital of the Kingdom of Mercia, or from Lichfield, its ecclesiastical centre. How such a collection had been made, by whom and why was it buried have still to be answered. In an age filled with warring factions it could have been the pickings of a single battle or of an entire military career, and at the time of burial may have been part of a royal treasury.

Barrie thanked Joyce. Reverend Dr Ian White added his thanks to all of us. He told us that the bell-tower fund was now over 90% complete (Joyce’s talk has added another £555). The work was set to be complete by early March. The three bells had been overhauled and when reinstated, should ring in tune. On which happy note, we made our way to the Stables where a hot cuppa and home made biscuits ended a lovely evening, thanks to the hard-work of the Church Social Committee who have done sterling work during the whole of the Bell-tower appeal.

Ann Lightman

Hon Secretary, Adel History Group