A proposed art and historical trail for Wolverhampton
'The Aethelflaed Trail' & Exhibition
Tettenhall’s Forgotten Place In The Beginning Of England
A project to permanently celebrate Aethelflaed, Lady Of Mercia, & the beginning of Anglo-Saxon England through the battles of Tettenhall and Wodensfield, 910AD
Project Lead - Rebecca Cresswell
Explore the below links to discover more
About The Project
Sponsorship registration
Sponsorship registration
Read the full project proposal here.
Sponsorship registration
Sponsorship registration
Sponsorship registration
Community, we need your input! We've developed a Sponser Registration for all those interested.
Artist registration
Sponsorship registration
Artist registration
Community, we need your input! We've developed an Artist Registration for all those interested.
Our Shop
Up and Coming Community Workshops and Events
Artist registration
A range of local artwork, historical books and *coming soon* merchandise available to buy
Donate or Sponsor link
Up and Coming Community Workshops and Events
Up and Coming Community Workshops and Events
Please click to find out how to donate to the project
Up and Coming Community Workshops and Events
Up and Coming Community Workshops and Events
Up and Coming Community Workshops and Events
Find out about all upcoming creative and community workshops , featuring arts workshops with professional makers and artists @ Wolverhampton Art Gallery.
Museum and Community Proposal for Tettenhall
Museum and Community Proposal for Tettenhall
Museum and Community Proposal for Tettenhall
Find out about an exciting proposal for an exhibition and community venue space
Donations to the Project Direct Links
Donate or Sponsor our project
Please scan the QR code above using a Smart Code to easily donate to this project or if preferred click- http://910adfund.tdcic.org.uk
Background Context
An initiative is in progress to honor Aethelflaed, Lady of Mercia, and the inception of Anglo-Saxon England with the battles of Tettenhall and Wodensfield in 910 AD, through a permanent Art/Educational trail.
The objective is to reaffirm Lady Aethelflaed's historical significance as the female leader who protected the Tettenhall region and the Kingdom of West Mercia against Viking incursions, heralding the dawn of Anglo-Saxon England.
Pivotal battles that reshaped English history include:
- The Battle of Hastings in 1066, which ushered in Norman rule
- The Battle of Market Bosworth in 1485, which heralded the Tudor Dynasty
- The Battle of Naseby in 1645, which precipitated the Interregnum under Cromwell
The Battle of Tettenhall & Wodensfield in 910 AD, and Aethelflaed's contributions, remain largely unacknowledged and uncelebrated, even locally. These conflicts and our local lore marked the commencement of Anglo-Saxon England and the cessation of the Danelaw.
Rebecca Cresswell, TDCIC project director, is aiding the District Trust in refining the project's blueprint and secure funding to progress the proposed stages of the project. Rebecca has a passion to drive education and community engagement and has a background in developing community arts programmes.
Rachel Arnold, local Community Artist, funded by 'Creative Backcountry' , has laid a strong creative foundation for this endeavour with free to attend community workshops at Wolverhampton Art Gallery, numerous presentations, and exhibition stands at 'Cup Cake Lane Cafe' in Tettenhall, as well as during 'The Heritage Weekend' at Wightwick Manor in Wolverhampton, culminating in a remarkable walk tracing the proposed trail from Wednesfield to Smestow Valley Nature Walk, complete with Vikings!
David Guest, a local historian and writer has also passionately lectured on the subject and has been holding fascinating talks about Aethelflaed and the Battles throughout the community, David has even produced a book on the subject which is available to buy.
The project aims to engage with the local communities of Tettenhall and Wednesfield and the wider community to ascertain their preferences for installations, tourist attractions, artwork, or historical commemorations.
Please read about our full proposal below and discover the varied commission ideas which will invite professional makers, artists and writers to interpret this history in a meaningful and inspiring way.
Community Workshop and Art Work Created
Aethelflaed Trail Walk -Wednesfield - Smestow Valley Nature Walk, Tettenhall
Resources and interesting reading
Aethelflaed and the Battle of 910 AD
We are currently compiling a comprehensive list of resources and reading material to help educate and provide further learning, these will be updated here including books and articles about the Battle of 910 Ad and Lady Aethelfaed
Most recent article about the Trail and community engagement so far: BBC
Battle of Wodensfield: Art trail to mark legendary Viking clash - BBC News
Aethelflaed: The warrior queen who broke the glass ceiling - BBC News English Historical Fiction Authors: Æthelflæd: Lady, or Queen? (englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com)
Aethelflaed: The warrior queen who broke the glass ceiling - BBC News
New Sculpture at Tamworth Arise Queen Aethelflaed - Latest News - Joseph Ash Galvanizing
Arise Queen Aethelflaed - Latest News - Joseph Ash Galvanizing
English Historical Fiction Authors: Æthelflæd: Lady, or Queen? (englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com)
Good watches
Viking Live: A Tour from the British Museum
Aethelflad Trail Project Team - Please Contact Us
We would love to hear your thoughts about the project.
Project Lead - Rebecca Cresswell
