City treasures to reunited for first time at Hyde900 (From Daily Echo)

City treasures to reunited for first time at Hyde900

1:57pm Monday 29th June 2009 in

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A range of historical treasures will be coming back to Winchester as part of the city’s Hyde900 project.

The exhibition next year is thought to be the first time in five centuries that all the items have been reunited.

They include the Book of Hyde – Liber Monasterii de Hyda – a record of England from the arrival of the Saxons to the reign of King Cnut.

The event will be part of Hyde900, which in 2010 will celebrate 900 years since the founding of Hyde Abbey.

It is believed to be the final resting place of Winchester’s most famous son, King Alfred the Great.

Monks are thought to have moved his remains there in the 12th century along with valuable books and relics.

Many items were lost when the abbey was dissolved in 1538, but the remaining ones are highly prized.

Today, only the abbey gate still stands, but residents in Hyde are keen to celebrate the building’s anniversary.

The Heritage Lottery Fund has now agreed to provide £50,000 to exhibit the rare items.

Some will come from Winchester City Council’s museum service along with Hampshire County Council, Winchester College and the city’s university.

Others will travel from further afield, with loans from the Bodleian Library in Oxford along with the Victoria and Albert and British Museums in London.

Along with the Book of Hyde, the exhibition at Winchester Discovery Centre in Jewry Street next year will feature the Liber Vitae. It contains the names of monks, associates and benefactors connected with the abbey.

Along with the exhibition, talks, tours, workshops and other events will be organised to bring the history of Hyde to life.

Ron Allison, who chairs Hyde900, said: “The Treasures of Hyde Abbey will be a professionally delivered exhibition of a very high standard to commemorate a uniquely important occasion in the history of Hyde.

“We believe that it will be a landmark event for 2010.”

Michelle Davies, head of Heritage Lottery Fund South East England, said: “Residents and visitors will be given a unique opportunity to see a range of artefacts associated with the once great Hyde Abbey and so gain a new perspective on the importance of this institution in the life of medieval England.”

Cllr Patricia Stallard, Winchester City Council Cabinet member for heritage, culture and sport, said: “We hope that the Hyde900 events will inspire other local communities across the district to explore and celebrate their own history and culture.”

To find out more about next year’s programme visit hyde900.co.uk.