New exhibition opens at Sutton Hoo telling the story of royal Anglo-Saxon Rendlesham

The exhibition takes visitors on a 400-year journey to reveal how the Anglo-Saxon royal settlement at Rendlesham grew and developed, and celebrates the many volunteers from the local community who uncovered the long-lost archaeological remains.

This story is brought to life with over 150 archaeological finds from the settlement, ranging from food remains to gold jewellery, many of which have never been on public display before.

Suffolk County Council’s Archaeological Service is curating the exhibition to celebrate “Rendlesham Revealed”, a community archaeology project funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Faye Minter, Suffolk County Council’s Archaeological Archives and Projects Manager, said:

“South-east Suffolk was the power centre of the early East Anglian kingdom, and Rendlesham was the place from which it was ruled. Rendlesham’s archaeology gives a unique insight into what a royal centre of international importance was like at that time.

“The exhibition showcases the results of fieldwork and research partnerships over the past 15 years. Work began in 2008, with the painstaking survey by four responsible metal detector users that revealed the site, and is still continuing. Just six months ago our community archaeology project excavated the foundations of a royal timber hall.

“For me, the highlight of the exhibition is showing how we can build up understanding from the range of archaeological objects and different strands of evidence to tell the story of Rendlesham 1,400 years ago.”

Some of the items on display include:

• Gold and garnet dress accessories and weaponry fittings, used by the highest levels of society, such as warriors and royalty
• A copper-alloy gilt horse-harness fitting, with garnet and shell centre inlay, has a zoomorphic interlace design and is similar to examples found in Mound 17 at Sutton Hoo
• Gold, silver and copper-alloy coinage. More coinage of the 6^th to 8^th centuries has been found at Rendlesham than anywhere else in England, suggesting that Rendlesham played a crucial role in encouraging trade and the use of money across south-east Suffolk and beyond
• Imported objects from across Europe suggests long-distance contacts, gift giving and trade
• A gold circular pendant made of impressed gold sheet of a form which originated in southern Scandinavia in the 5^th century
• Fragments of bronze vessels from the eastern Mediterranean of 7^th century date
• Objects representing the ordinary population of farmers and craftworkers, including belt buckles, pins and weaving items
• Animal bone, the rubbish from butchery, cooking and eating, which tells us about farming practices and feasting

Councillor Melanie Vigo di Gallidoro, Suffolk County Council’s Deputy Cabinet Member for Protected Landscapes and Archaeology, said:

“It is a pleasure to see so many beautiful objects on loan from Colchester and Ipswich Museums while they are closed for redevelopment, and that these are accompanied by material on loan from Suffolk County Council’s archaeological archives.

“I’d like to thank the National Trust and Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History, for supporting this exhibition, as well as the many partners, the local landowners and farmers who have allowed access to their land, and National Lottery players, without whom, funding for this project would not have been made possible.”

Over 400 volunteers from the local community have been involved in uncovering Rendlesham’s past, including young adults from the Suffolk Family Carers and Suffolk Mind, and local school children from Rendlesham, Eyke and Wickham Market primary schools. Volunteering has had a positive impact on many of those who took part.

One of the young people from Suffolk Family Carers said:

“It was an amazing opportunity. To start off with I was a bit nervous, but really excited as not everyone has an opportunity to do something like this. I’m really pleased with myself with what I’ve been able to do, I’m really happy. I’ve learnt how archaeologists do their job in different ways and can find different materials from a long time ago.”

Nev, one of the volunteers with Suffolk Mind, said:

“I think this project is epic, it’s absolutely brilliant. It’s so good for our mental health, it really helps you relax and take your mind off things. You are treated just like a member of staff, you feel like one of them. The first day I was here I was very nervous, I was shaking. Now, I’m preparing to do a parachute jump for Suffolk Mind and volunteering, doing things I never thought I would. There’s no way I would have started my voluntary job at the museum, and I certainly wouldn’t have been able to volunteer at the London marathon.”

The exhibition opens at Sutton Hoo on 23 March 2023 and will run until 29 October 2023. Entry to the temporary exhibition will be included in the normal admission charge to Sutton Hoo, which is free for National Trust members.

Smaller displays will also be on show at Norwich Castle and the West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village and Museum in 2024.

To find out more about the Rendlesham Revealed project visit: heritage.suffolk.gov.uk/rendlesham