The Herefordshire Hoard, one of the most significant Viking treasures ever unearthed in Britain, is set to make its grand return to its home county, thanks to a successful fundraising campaign. The hoard, over 1,100 years old, was discovered in a Leominster field in 2015 and later purchased for £776,250. It will soon be showcased in Hereford’s new museum and art gallery, set to re-open in Broad Street in 2025 following an £18 million transformation.

This breathtaking collection of Viking antiquities will be on temporary display at the Museum Resource and Learning Centre (MRLC) in Hereford’s Friars Street. Visitors eager to view the hoard can do so on the 19th of July, the 12th of September, and the 11th of November from 10.00am. Slots are limited, and bookings should be made in advance via the Eventbrite webpage.

The Hoard comprises a range of items of historical and artistic significance, including a stunning crystal sphere set in a four-strip gold frame believed to be from the fifth or seventh centuries. The collection also includes an octagonal gold ring, a gold bracelet with an animal head biting its tail, and a variety of ancient coins, some of which originate from the Middle East and others featuring the heads of the kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia.

Damian Etheraads, Herefordshire Council’s museum and gallery lead, expressed his excitement over the hoard’s exhibition. He marvelled at the craftsmanship of the ancient items, noting the intricate designs and the surprising survival of the wafer-thin coins, buried for more than a millennium.