Treasures from Medieval York: England's other capital

Article published on 15 February 2010

Yorkshire Museum treasures to go on display at the British Museum. The Yorkshire Museum, York, closed for a £2m refurbishment on 1 November 2009 and will open again on 1 August 2010. The Yorkshire Museum and the British Museum have had a long history of working together in partnership since the late nineteenth century and during this period of closure objects from the Yorkshire Museum will be on display in Room 2 of the British Museum.

York was one of medieval England’s most powerful cities, rivalling London in size and importance. The city was the main administrative and judicial centre for the north of England. It was the seat of the country’s second archbishop and had the power to raise its own taxes. York was also an important international trading centre.

The objects on display highlight major themes within Yorkshire’s history and its role in European culture, as well as demonstrating a history of connection between the British Museum and Yorkshire Museum. The objects have also been chosen to reflect the unique situation of Yorkshire’s archaeological survival ranging from the waterlogged deposits of lower York to the abundant numbers of early medieval stone carving across Yorkshire’s parish churches. The themes explored in the display include Yorkshire’s military significance, its place in Christendom, its international and royal connections, its architectural grandeur, its art industry, and Yorkshire as a centre of trade and craft.

Key objects include:

The Middleham Jewel, c. 1460. An outstanding example of medieval craftsmanship, this diamond-shaped pendant is adorned with a valuable sapphire. It is engraved on the front with an image of the Holy Trinity and on the back with the Nativity. The inscriptions around the edge are in Latin and Hebrew and the words are related to childbirth, suggesting that the jewel may have been made for a woman. The Middleham Jewel was discovered by a metal detectorist in 1985 near Middleham in North Yorkshire and acquired by the Yorkshire Museum following an export ban and highly successful public appeal for £2.5 million.

The York Helmet, 700s. This is an outstanding example of an Anglo-Saxon helmet. It is one of only four ever to be discovered in the UK – another can be seen in the Sutton Hoo display at the British Museum. On the crest of the Helmet is a Latin inscription that includes the word ‘Oshere’, probably the name of the owner. Oshere was possibly a member of the Northumbrian royal family, the most powerful dynasty in the 700s.

Ormside bowl, 700s. This bowl is one of the finest pieces of Anglian silversmithing found in England. The outside is covered in fabulous beasts nestling among a vine. It has a silver lining held in place by silver and glass studs. Made in York, it was probably seized by a Viking warrior as loot, and buried with him in Cumbria where it was found. The bowl was conserved by the British Museum in the 1950s.

The British Museum is delighted to have the opportunity to showcase these important objects. Lending objects to each other is just one of the ways that the British Museum and the Yorkshire Museum work together and the British Museum will be lending a number of objects to the displays of the redeveloped Yorkshire Museum. Recently the two museums also jointly acquired the Vale of York Hoard which is now on display at the British Museum. Working together, the Yorkshire Museum and the British Museum have greatly enhanced knowledge about medieval York. The Room 2 display is part of Partnership UK, a British Museum programme of partnerships with museums and galleries of all sizes across the UK.

Janet Barnes, Chief Executive of York Museums Trust, said: "It is a privilege that the Yorkshire Museum has been invited to showcase its collections at the British Museum, the first time a regional museum has done so. The British Museum is home to some of the world's greatest treasures and for ours to be displayed alongside these shows the strength of our artefacts and their significance in telling the rich history of York."

John Orna-Ornstein, head of London and national programmes for the British Museum, said: “Working in partnership gives people right across the UK the opportunity to access high quality museum collections and benefit from excellent museum provision. In this case, the people of London, as well as international tourists visiting the capital, have a unique opportunity to see a group of treasures that have never been seen together outside York before.”

» Return to News listing