IF YOU ENJOYED our feature on Saxon Britain, the first of our new series Timeline of Britain, head for Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire from 5 September to 3 October. A very rare Anglo-Saxon gold ring is on display here after being shown in the BBC2 series Digging for Britain (Thursday, 2 September). It's the first time that the ring has been on display to the public for nearly 40 years since it was exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum London and will add to the recent fascination with Saxon gold caused by the discovery of the Saxon Hoard in Staffordshire,

Digging for Britain also featured excavations at Berkeley carried out by archaeologists from the University of Bristol who have uncovered evidence of a Dark Age monastery before the castle was constructed in the 11th century. 

“We have been uncovering increasingly important Anglo-Saxon metalwork finds from the 9th and 10th centuries", said Professor Mark Horton, co-director of the project, "so we decided to call in the TV cameras to show what we had found. It seemed to be an ideal opportunity to get the ring out again and to re-evaluate its significance.” (The ring has been among the collections at Berkeley Castle for over 200 years but no-one knows how it got there.)

“The excavations suggest that the monastery lay below the castle and town, and that the ring was mostly likely owned by an abbot or abbess of extremely high status,” Professor Horton explained.

“Unfortunately, the castle’s records do not include evidence as to where the ring was found but maybe one day we will be able to find the exact spot. Meanwhile, it is tangible evidence for the exceptional skill of Anglo-Saxon metalworkers and the wealth and prosperity of Berkeley during the early 9th century.”

Look out for our next issue where Charles Berkeley and his castle home will feature in Norman Britain.

From 5 Sep–3 Oct: Thursdays and Sundays only. Sun&Thu 11.00am – 5.30pm during this period.Tel: (01453) 810332; www.berkeley-castle.com.