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Vikings
delayed
A shortage
of funds has thwarted several attempts to conserve the Burnsall
area's Viking artefacts and put them on display.
Now,
thanks to a £25,000 Heritage Lottery Fund 'Your Heritage'
award, these deeply important and fascinating stones will be properly
secured, displayed and interpreted.
The
permanent display will be housed within the village's St Wilfred's
church.
It
will feature a unique collection of Anglo-Scandinavian sculptures
dating from the late ninth to the 11th century.
Artefact
finds
Project
co-ordinator John Townend said: "Many of the artefacts were
discovered under the floor of the church by workmen carrying out
building repairs back in the 19th century.
"One
was found as recently as 1985 in the riverbank by visiting pupils
from South Craven School.
"The
aim of the 'Vikings in Burnsall' exhibition is to explain how a
few simple stones can tell an amazing story about life in the village
around 1,000years ago.
"We
hope the display will draw extra visitors to both Burnsall and its
church, which will continue to be open daily and free of charge."
The
Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority will play a major role in
interpreting the artefacts and presenting this information to visitors.
Research
conducted by members of the project team will be combined with input
from academic experts to provide visitors with enlightening interpretation
on the origin, meaning and significance of the stones, as well as
historical information about the Vikings' presence in the Dales.
Kate
Geddes, Interpretation Officer at the Yorkshire Dales National Park
Authority said: "Everyone knows the Vikings were in the Yorkshire
Dales but Burnsall is one of the few locations where hard physical
evidence exists.
"Thanks
to the forward thinking and hard work of the local community, these
important artefacts can now be put on public display, where they
belong."
For
more information please call the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority's
Press Office on 01756 752748 or 0780 3238719.
It's
hoped that the exhibition will open to local people in time for
the traditional Burnsall Feast on 22 August.
An
official opening is being planned for September.
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