Anglo Saxon

What you can expect

The most recently refurbished of the galleries, it is filled with display cases showing the weapons, domestic life, and productivity of this period in Oxfordshire. The centre of the room is dominated by the Lowbury Hill burial, which contains the human remains and funeral goods of a man in his mid-50s.  

The Hanney Brooch is one of the gallery’s star objects. After Chris Bayston initially discovered the brooch, a team of local archaeologists excavated the spot and uncovered a female's grave.  

20 composite disc-brooches like this, the most westerly example, have now been found in south-east England. They belong to AD 610-660 and are considered status symbols worn by wealthy and influential women. The position of the Hanney grave, which was isolated on elevated ground, is in keeping with elite burials of this period.  

Be aware that this gallery contains human remains.