CIC PROJECT HUB SHOWCASE

A project to permanently celebrate Aethelflaed, Lady Of Mercia, & the beginning of Anglo-Saxon England through the battles of Tettenhall (Tettenhall) and Wodensfield (Wednesfield), 910AD is currently being developed as a proposed permanent Art/Educational trail.

Appointed Project Lead, Rebecca Cresswell is currently helping the District Trust to develop a refined project plan and help secure further funding to now progress the project's proposed phases.

The amazing community work of Rachel Arnold (local artist and creative director) working with Creative Blackcountry,  has already laid laid down wonderful creative foundations for this project with continued free workshops in the community, presentations and display stands at Cup Cake Lane Cafe, Tettenhall and at The Heritage Weekend Wightwick Manor, Wolverhampton. 

Creating a permanent record of Aethelflaed and Tettenhall’s place in history.

The project is consulting with the local community, in both Tettenhall and Wednesfield, to inform them as to what installations, tourist attractions, artwork or commemorative record(s), the local community wish.

The project aims to have Lady Aethelflaeda written back into history as the female ruler who saved the Tettenhall area, and the Kingdom of West Mercia, from the Vikings, and so began the start of Anglo Saxon England.

Significant battles in English History, changing the rule of the land, include;

- The Battle Of Hastings – 1066, beginning Norman rule

- The Battle Of Market Bosworth – 1485, beginning the Tudor Dynasty

- The Battle Of Naseby – 1645, beginning the Interegnum under Cromwell

The Battle of Tettenhall & Wodensfield 910AD, and Aethelflaeda, are largely unknown and uncelebrated even locally. These battles and our local history began Anglo-Saxon England ending the Danelaw. 

There is currently a program of workshops in progress on our Saxon history, with an opportunity now, for residents of Tettenhall to attend, and with wider future implications for Tettenhall in the coming years. The Tettenhall Forum is promoting this free opportunity to its residents and will stay in touch with this project as it develops into a wider program in order that residents will be consulted on and can influence the outcomes in the longer term.

The long term (2 – 3 years) objective is the development of a tourist attraction based on local Wolverhampton peoples’ perception of the battle of Tettenhall/Wednesfield.The intention is to create a permanent exhibition in Wolverhampton Art Gallery chronicling and commemorating the decisive skirmishes and fighting between the Mercians and the Norse invaders crossing the river Severn with their plunder to return home via the Danelaw lands of the East of England. The project also has a primary objective to celebrate the leadership role of Æthelflead, daughter of Alfred the Great and wife of Æthelred, Lord of the Mercians. 

The permanent exhibition will be supported by statues/installations across Wednesfield, The City and Tettenhall at appropriate sites reflecting the current historical perspective that “The Battle” was rather a series of fierce engagements and skirmishes across the area, rather than a large single decisive battle at either Tettenhall, where most of the engagements took place, or Wednesfield where it is believed the Mercian forces were gathered.

The current phase of this initiative consists of a 12 month series of fully funded monthly workshops on Saturday mornings at Wolverhampton Art Gallery, each dealing with a relevant cultural aspect related to the period, for example creative writing, history, poetry, calligraphy, sculpting and art. The purpose of these workshops is to build communities, share knowledge and well-being.Tettenhall residents with an interest in the period and/or its cultural aspects are welcome and encouraged to attend these workshops which are inclusive. There are no restrictions based on age, qualification, skills or knowledge. 
This part of the program is funded by Creative Black Country and Birmingham Open Media will be making a war game based on the gathering of forces in Wednesfield and the battles and skirmishes which followed along the Smestow valley in and around Tettenhall.

The final phase will be the funding and siting of the selected installations and the curating of the permanent exhibition in Wolverhampton Art Gallery.