Welshpool’s Viking past

Exhibits from Denmark, Ireland, the Isle of Man, England and across Wales have been borrowed for Welshpool’s Powysland Museum’s latest exhibition about the Vikings and Wales, which runs from June 3-August 29.

The exhibition is based on two skulls (pictured) and hundreds of other bones that were dug up in 1863 near Buttington Churchyard on the outskirts of Welshpool and which were originally thought to belong to Danish Vikings slain in the battle of Buttington in A.D.893.

Carbon dating has shown these skulls to be of a much later date and they have therefore been stored away. However, the museum has now dusted them off and the myth they generated and created a temporary exhibition exploring the Vikings and Wales.

The exhibition takes visitors on a journey back in time, looking at modern representations and exploitations of Vikings, the Viking revival in 19th century Danish arts and crafts represented in presents within the Royal family, archaeological finds from Wales, Ireland, England, The Isle of Man and Denmark and replicas that bring the archaeology to life.

The museum has borrowed objects from Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales, Brecknock Museum and Art Gallery, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Manx National Heritage, The National Museum of Denmark, The National Museum of Ireland, The Royal Collection Trust and Russell Scott from Traders, Invaders and Raiders.

Financial support for the exhibition has been received from The A.P. Møller and Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller Foundation for General Purposes and The Beckett Fund in Denmark, Arts Council England for Government Indemnity and Jonathan Ruffer Curatorial Grant via The Art Fund.

Powysland Museum, The Canal Wharf, Welshpool is open weekdays from 10.30am-1pm and 2-5pm and Saturday from 10.30am-3pm. For further details contact the museum on 01938 554656 or powysland@powys.gov.uk

PICTURE: The skulls discovered near Buttington Church in 1863.