You have probably heard of Alfred the Great - noble leader of the kingdom of Wessex and defeater of the Vikings - but how about Ceolwulf II of Mercia?
More than 200 pieces of Viking silver including coins, ingots and jewellery discovered in buried in a field in Oxfordshire are shedding fresh light on King Alfred and his little-known ally, Ceolwulf II, whom he all but erased from history.
The 'nationally significant' hoard, which dates back to around 870AD, has been unveiled at the British Museum in London, where experts say it paints Alfred in a less favourable light than history has traditionally done.
It is thought the silver may have been quickly buried in the period following Alfred the Great of Wessex's defeat of the Vikings at Edington in Wiltshire.
The artefacts were unearthed by a metal detectorist near Watlington, Oxfordshire, in October last year and reveal clues as to how Alfred the Great of Wessex and King Ceolwulf II of Mercia co-operated to battle the invaders.
At this time, England was divided into several separate kingdoms, with both Wessex and Mercia being powerful forces battling the Vikings.
Exceptional hoard of Viking silver reveal how Alfred the Great airbrushed history: Coins buried following 9th century defeat of the invaders suggest the English king tried to cover up role of key ally
The hoard was unearthed by a metal detectorist near Watlington, Oxfordshire in October of last year
Unveiled at the British Museum this morning, it includes 186 coins, seven pieces of Viking jewellery and 15 ingots
Artefacts date to the time of Alfred the Great of Wessex (871 to 899AD) and King Ceolwulf II of Mercia (874 to 879AD)
Shed new light on the alliance between the two leaders, with Ceolwulf II depicted unfavorably in historical accounts
By Sarah Griffiths for MailOnline
11 December 2015
Daily Mail
You have probably heard of Alfred the Great - noble leader of the kingdom of Wessex and defeater of the Vikings - but how about Ceolwulf II of Mercia?
More than 200 pieces of Viking silver including coins, ingots and jewellery discovered in buried in a field in Oxfordshire are shedding fresh light on King Alfred and his little-known ally, Ceolwulf II, whom he all but erased from history.
The 'nationally significant' hoard, which dates back to around 870AD, has been unveiled at the British Museum in London, where experts say it paints Alfred in a less favourable light than history has traditionally done.
An 'exceptional' hoard of hundreds of silver Viking coins, ingots and jewellery (pictured) has been unveiled at the British Museum in London. The treasure is thought to have been buried following Alfred the Great of Wessex's defeat of the Vikings at Edington in 878AD It is shedding new lighton the alliance between the leader and little remembered Ceolwuff II of Mercia
It is thought the silver may have been quickly buried in the period following Alfred the Great of Wessex's defeat of the Vikings at Edington in Wiltshire.
The 'nationally significant' hoard, which dates back to the 870s, has been unveiled at the British Museum in London, where experts say it paints Alfred the Great (illustrated) in a less favourable light
The artefacts were unearthed by a metal detectorist near Watlington, Oxfordshire, in October last year and reveal clues as to how Alfred the Great of Wessex and King Ceolwulf II of Mercia co-operated to battle the invaders.
At this time, England was divided into several separate kingdoms, with both Wessex and Mercia being powerful forces battling the Vikings.
On one side of the silver coins, jointly issued by Alfred and Ceowulf II, there is an image of two Roman-style emperors sitting side by side, which are thought to represent the allies.
They were struck over several years in different mints, showing the alliance was not short-lived.
Despite this alliance, Ceolwulf is not as well remembered as Alfred.
He is only known for ruling Mercia - a kingdom covering much of the Midlands - for five years and his fate is even unknown.
However, many people have heard of Alfred's heroics, because the king commissioned a history of the period, establishing himself as the only saviour of the Saxons and Ceolwulf as 'a puppet king' of the Vikings.
Gareth Williams, Curator of Early Medieval Coinage at the British Museum, told The Independent: 'That's the way he's gone down in the history books. The coins show a different picture.'
He said the coins show evidence of that Alfred formed an alliance with Ceolwulf, which appears to have ended acrimoniously a few years later.
The result saw Ceolwulf's role in the fight against the Vikings being essentially airbrushed from history.
Ceolwulf II controlled Mercia from 874 to 879AD, with Alfred ruling rival kingdom Wessex - which covered the west and majority of south England - from AD 871 until 899, after which he was referred to as 'king of the English' on coins.
Dr Williams explained the Mercian king gets a bad press in Anglo Saxon historical accounts, which were written during Alfred's reign, in which he is described as a 'foolish king's thane'.
'About 15 years after his disappearance, these accounts are written at Alfred's court dismissing Ceolwulf as nobody of consequence.
'Perhaps we should think more of Stalin and Trotsky with Ceolwulf being airbrushed out of history because he was no longer convenient.'
This view sharply contrasts with the Victorian depiction of King Alfred, as a fair and just king who loved by all and looked after his people.
The historically important hoard, comprising 186 coins, seven pieces of Viking jewellery and 15 ingots, was discovered by James Mather, 60, who had been hunting for treasure for five hours and was about to go home when he chanced upon the valuable cache.
The precious artefacts were unearthed by a metal detectorist in Watlington, Oxfordshire, in October last year and are said to be 'nationally significant'. The coins (selection pictured) were minted during the reign of Alfred the Great of Wessex from 871 and 899 AD, however, a selection of the coins were additionally said to have been minted for King Ceolwulf II of Mercia, who ruled between 874 and 879 AD
Three types of penny were found that were issued in Ceolwulf's name and were designed in the 'Cross and Lozenge' style, also used by King Alfred. Due to the fact the reigns of these rulers overlapped, and that King Ceolwulf's coinage is similar in style and design to that of Alfred of Wessex, it has been suggested the two teamed up to fight against the Vikings
British Museum ✔
@britishmuseum
A recent major discovery was this Viking hoard buried in the 870s in Watlington, Oxfordshire pic.twitter.com/SJy3HbNzn9
More than 200 pieces of Viking silver including coins, ingots and jewellery discovered in buried in a field in Oxfordshire are shedding fresh light on King Alfred and his little-known ally, Ceolwulf II, whom he all but erased from history.
The 'nationally significant' hoard, which dates back to around 870AD, has been unveiled at the British Museum in London, where experts say it paints Alfred in a less favourable light than history has traditionally done.
It is thought the silver may have been quickly buried in the period following Alfred the Great of Wessex's defeat of the Vikings at Edington in Wiltshire.
The artefacts were unearthed by a metal detectorist near Watlington, Oxfordshire, in October last year and reveal clues as to how Alfred the Great of Wessex and King Ceolwulf II of Mercia co-operated to battle the invaders.
At this time, England was divided into several separate kingdoms, with both Wessex and Mercia being powerful forces battling the Vikings.
Exceptional hoard of Viking silver reveal how Alfred the Great airbrushed history: Coins buried following 9th century defeat of the invaders suggest the English king tried to cover up role of key ally
The hoard was unearthed by a metal detectorist near Watlington, Oxfordshire in October of last year
Unveiled at the British Museum this morning, it includes 186 coins, seven pieces of Viking jewellery and 15 ingots
Artefacts date to the time of Alfred the Great of Wessex (871 to 899AD) and King Ceolwulf II of Mercia (874 to 879AD)
Shed new light on the alliance between the two leaders, with Ceolwulf II depicted unfavorably in historical accounts
By Sarah Griffiths for MailOnline
11 December 2015
Daily Mail
You have probably heard of Alfred the Great - noble leader of the kingdom of Wessex and defeater of the Vikings - but how about Ceolwulf II of Mercia?
More than 200 pieces of Viking silver including coins, ingots and jewellery discovered in buried in a field in Oxfordshire are shedding fresh light on King Alfred and his little-known ally, Ceolwulf II, whom he all but erased from history.
The 'nationally significant' hoard, which dates back to around 870AD, has been unveiled at the British Museum in London, where experts say it paints Alfred in a less favourable light than history has traditionally done.
An 'exceptional' hoard of hundreds of silver Viking coins, ingots and jewellery (pictured) has been unveiled at the British Museum in London. The treasure is thought to have been buried following Alfred the Great of Wessex's defeat of the Vikings at Edington in 878AD It is shedding new lighton the alliance between the leader and little remembered Ceolwuff II of Mercia
It is thought the silver may have been quickly buried in the period following Alfred the Great of Wessex's defeat of the Vikings at Edington in Wiltshire.
The 'nationally significant' hoard, which dates back to the 870s, has been unveiled at the British Museum in London, where experts say it paints Alfred the Great (illustrated) in a less favourable light
The artefacts were unearthed by a metal detectorist near Watlington, Oxfordshire, in October last year and reveal clues as to how Alfred the Great of Wessex and King Ceolwulf II of Mercia co-operated to battle the invaders.
At this time, England was divided into several separate kingdoms, with both Wessex and Mercia being powerful forces battling the Vikings.
On one side of the silver coins, jointly issued by Alfred and Ceowulf II, there is an image of two Roman-style emperors sitting side by side, which are thought to represent the allies.
They were struck over several years in different mints, showing the alliance was not short-lived.
Despite this alliance, Ceolwulf is not as well remembered as Alfred.
He is only known for ruling Mercia - a kingdom covering much of the Midlands - for five years and his fate is even unknown.
However, many people have heard of Alfred's heroics, because the king commissioned a history of the period, establishing himself as the only saviour of the Saxons and Ceolwulf as 'a puppet king' of the Vikings.
Gareth Williams, Curator of Early Medieval Coinage at the British Museum, told The Independent: 'That's the way he's gone down in the history books. The coins show a different picture.'
He said the coins show evidence of that Alfred formed an alliance with Ceolwulf, which appears to have ended acrimoniously a few years later.
The result saw Ceolwulf's role in the fight against the Vikings being essentially airbrushed from history.
Ceolwulf II controlled Mercia from 874 to 879AD, with Alfred ruling rival kingdom Wessex - which covered the west and majority of south England - from AD 871 until 899, after which he was referred to as 'king of the English' on coins.
Dr Williams explained the Mercian king gets a bad press in Anglo Saxon historical accounts, which were written during Alfred's reign, in which he is described as a 'foolish king's thane'.
'About 15 years after his disappearance, these accounts are written at Alfred's court dismissing Ceolwulf as nobody of consequence.
'Perhaps we should think more of Stalin and Trotsky with Ceolwulf being airbrushed out of history because he was no longer convenient.'
This view sharply contrasts with the Victorian depiction of King Alfred, as a fair and just king who loved by all and looked after his people.
The historically important hoard, comprising 186 coins, seven pieces of Viking jewellery and 15 ingots, was discovered by James Mather, 60, who had been hunting for treasure for five hours and was about to go home when he chanced upon the valuable cache.
The precious artefacts were unearthed by a metal detectorist in Watlington, Oxfordshire, in October last year and are said to be 'nationally significant'. The coins (selection pictured) were minted during the reign of Alfred the Great of Wessex from 871 and 899 AD, however, a selection of the coins were additionally said to have been minted for King Ceolwulf II of Mercia, who ruled between 874 and 879 AD
Three types of penny were found that were issued in Ceolwulf's name and were designed in the 'Cross and Lozenge' style, also used by King Alfred. Due to the fact the reigns of these rulers overlapped, and that King Ceolwulf's coinage is similar in style and design to that of Alfred of Wessex, it has been suggested the two teamed up to fight against the Vikings
British Museum ✔ @britishmuseum
A recent major discovery was this Viking hoard buried in the 870s in Watlington, Oxfordshire pic.twitter.com/SJy3HbNzn9
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This find includes 186 rare coins of King Alfred of Wessex & King Ceolwulf II of Mercia, as well as Viking jewellery pic.twitter.com/xs57cK4WCL
9:17 AM - 10 Dec 2015
143 208
On one side of the silver coins, jointly issued by Alfred and Ceowulf II, there is an image of two Roman-style emperors sitting side by side, which are thought to represent the allies. They were struck over several years in different mints, showing the alliance was not short-lived
The discovery was made by James Mather, 60, who had been hunting for treasure for five hours and was about to go home when he chanced upon the cache of valuable Viking items. He is pictured here with his metal detector at the location of the Watlington Hoard
Elsewhere, seven pieces of Viking jewellery including 15 ingots were also found. Nearly all of the objects come from the time of the 'Last Kingdom' when the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex were fighting for their survival from the threat of a Great Heathen Army. A selection of ingots are shown alongside examples of intricate metalwork
Mr Mather, a retired advertising manager, described the find as 'the holy grail of metal detecting'. A bangle is shown
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A recent major discovery was this Viking hoard buried in the 870s in Watlington, Oxfordshire
9:15 AM - 10 Dec 2015
239 290
The Vikings asked King Alfred for a truce, which was granted as long as they left his kingdom immediately, and later became known as the Peace of Wedmore.
In particular, the experts believe the Viking treasure was buried when the Vikings moved north of the Thames and Guthrum returned to East Anglia where he was converted to Christianity with Alfred as his sponsor.
Nearly all of the objects come from the time of the 'Last Kingdom' when the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex were fighting for their survival from the threat of the Great Heathen Army.
The fight ultimately led to the unification of England and its kingdoms.
Mr Mather, a retired advertising manager, described the find as 'the holy grail of metal detecting'.
'You don't find things like this very often - it's the biggest thing I have ever found. It's every detector's dream,' he said.
He explained it was instinct that he felt there might be something of value in the area.
'I had wanted to search this particular bit of high ground and I didn't want to leave without going over it. I don't know why - it's a little bit of skill, a little bit of knowledge, a big slice of luck and a bit of X Factor,' he said.
After discovering the cache near Watlington, Mr Mather reported it to the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) - an online programme that records finds discovered by members of the public.
Five days later, with the help of a PAS liason officer and the landowner, a block of soil containing the artefacts, was brought to the British Museum.
It was then X-rayed and mapped before a team brushed away the mud and dirt to uncover the coins and silver jewellery.
The coins show evidence of that Alfred formed an alliance with Ceolwulf, which appears to have ended acrimoniously a few years later. The one in the centre shows two men, thought to depict the allies, sitting together
Still inside a clod of soil, the hoard was X-rayed and mapped before a team brushed away the mud and dirt to uncover the coins and silver jewellery. Academics from the British Museum and the Ashmolean in Oxford believe the hoard was buried around the end of the 870s, in the period following Alfred's decisive defeat of the Vikings at Edington in 878
Mr Mather (pictured) hopes the artefacts (also shown) will go on show at a local museum. He said: 'I knew that I had found something interesting but I had no idea how important it would be'. The hoard must now go to a coroner who will decide if it is officially classed as treasure, and if it is, Mr Mather and the landowner will receive a reward
Dr Williams explained: 'Alfred and his successors forged a new kingdom of England by taking control of Mercia, before conquering the regions controlled by the Vikings.
'This hoard has the potential to provide important new information on relations between Mercia and Wessex at the beginning of that process.'
He added: 'What's interesting is that this hoard fills in a gap.
'We have a lot from the 860s to the late 870s and then a good selection from the mid-890s onwards but previously had very little from the in between period.
'This is the first major hoard of this period.'
Speaking at the event, Minister of State for Culture and the Digital Economy Ed Vaizey MP said: 'Fascinating finds like this Viking hoard are a great example of the one million discoveries that have been unearthed by the public since 1997.
Gareth Williams, curator of Early Medieval Coinage at the British Museum, said: 'What's interesting is that this hoard fills in a gap. We have a lot from the 860s to the late 870s and then a good selection from the mid-890s onwards but previously had very little from the in between period. This is the first major hoard of this period'
Speaking at the event, Minister of State for Culture and the Digital Economy Ed Vaizey MP said: 'Fascinating finds like this Viking hoard are a great example of the one million discoveries that have been unearthed by the public since 1997. The jewellery is shown above
'Sharing these archaeological treasures with the country means protecting them for future generations to learn more about our nation's rich and complex past.'
Mr Mather hopes the artefacts will go on show at a local museum.
Describing the moment he found the precious items, he explained: 'On 8 October last year I had been out for five hours without finding much and was just getting ready to pack up and go home.
'I spotted a small ingot about 2.4 inches (6cm) long - that was the thing I recognised as being potentially Viking as I had seen a similar one in the British Museum.
'I knew that I had found something interesting but I had no idea how important it would be.'
The hoard must now go to a coroner who will decide if it is officially classed as treasure, and if it is Mr Mather and the landowner will receive a reward.
Alfred the Great silver coins are commercially valued at more than £2,500 each, with those in good condition fetching far more, so any pay-out could be vast.
THE KINGS AND THEIR COINS: ALFRED THE GREAT OF WESSEX AND KING CEOLWULF II OF MERCIA
The experts think the hoard was buried when the Vikings moved north of the Thames and their king Guthrum returned to East Anglia where he was converted to Christianity with Alfred as his sponsor. This illustration shows the baptism of the Danish leader
The hoard includes 186 coins from the times of Alfred the Great of Wessex, who ruled between 871 and 899 AD and King Ceolwulf II of Mercia, who ruled between 874 and 879 AD.
At this time, England was split into kingdoms. Alfred the Great ruled Wessex which covered the west and majority of south England, excluding Cornwall, while Mercia was ruled by King Ceolwulf II and covered the River Trent and the Midlands.
Alfred the Great is best known for defending his kingdom against the Viking attempt at conquest, and by the time of his death had become the dominant ruler in England.
At the time, England was split into kingdoms (shown on the map, top). Alfred the Great (illustrated bottom) ruled Wessex which covered the west and majority of south England,while Mercia was ruled by King Ceolwulf II and covered the River Trent and the Midlands
Wessex and its dependencies included the west and majority of south England, excluding Cornwall.
Alfred had a reputation of being a level-headed learned and merciful man who encouraged education and improved his people's quality of life.
By comparison, King Ceolwulf II was descendant of previous kings and was the last independent king of Mercia.
It is thought he was active in Wales and may have been killed in a battle known as 'God's vengeance for Rhodri' in 881.
Three types of penny were found that were issued in Ceolwulf's name and were designed in the 'Cross and Lozenge' style, also used by King Alfred.
Due to the fact the reigns of these rulers overlapped, and that King Ceolwulf's coinage is similar in style and design to that of Alfred of Wessex, it has been suggested the two teamed up to fight against the Vikings.
WHEN WERE THE COINS BURIED?
Academics from the British Museum and the Ashmolean in Oxford believe the hoard was buried around the end of the 870s, in the period following Alfred's decisive defeat of the Vikings at Edington in 878.
The experts think it was buried when the Vikings moved north of the Thames and their king Guthrum returned to East Anglia where he was converted to Christianity with Alfred as his sponsor.
Nearly all of the objects come from the time of the 'Last Kingdom' when the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex were fighting for their survival from the threat of a 'Great Heathen Army'. The fight led to the unification of England.
WHY IS THE FIND SIGNIFICANT?
Gareth Williams, Curator of Early Medieval Coinage at the British Museum, explained the hoard could help experts piece together information about the relations between Mercia and Wessex at the beginning of that process of unification.
It also 'fills a gap' because while there are lots of artefacts from the 860s to the late 870s and the mid-890s onwards there is otherwise little from the period in-between.
THE VIKINGS IN BRITAIN FROM 800 to 1016: RAIDS AND PEACE
Viking raids on Britain began at the end of the 8th century, Professor Edward James of University College, Dublin, wrote for the BBC.
In 1793, the bishop of Lindisfarne wrote to Ethelred, King of Northumbria, telling him the monastery had been attacked by Viking raiders and in the coming few decades, attacks intensified.
In 866, the Vikings captured York and a year later took over part of Northumbria. By 878 they had conquered almost all of England.
But the story goes that Alfred the Great, who hid in the marshes near Athelney in Somerset to survive, reformed his army and defeated the Vikings at Edington in Wiltshire, later that year.
Viking raids (illustrated) on Britain began at the end of the 8th century. In 1793, the bishop of Lindisfarne wrote to Ethelred, King of Northumbria, telling him the monastery had been attacked by Viking raiders and in the coming few decades, attacks intensified
He forced peace on the invaders and the Viking army seems to have across the channel for a few years, leaving Alfred time to build fortresses.
When the Vikings returned in the 890s, the West Saxons were able to resist, leaving Alfred, at his death in 899AD, king of the only independent English kingdom.
His son, Edward the Elder (899 to 944AD) captured the south of England from the Danes and incorporated Mercia into his kingdom.
For several rulers afterwards there was peace, with England largely converted to Christianity, But then came the 'second Viking age' with large-scale raids to plunder wealth from the land.
By the end of the 9th century, Vikings were living in different parts of Britain and in 1016, king Cnut of Denmark became king of England too.
Read more: Viking coins, ingots and jewellery unearthed near Watlington, Oxfordshire | Daily Mail Online
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British Museum ✔ @britishmuseum
This find includes 186 rare coins of King Alfred of Wessex & King Ceolwulf II of Mercia, as well as Viking jewellery pic.twitter.com/xs57cK4WCL
9:17 AM - 10 Dec 2015
143 208
Academics from the British Museum and the Ashmolean in Oxford believe the hoard was buried around the end of the 870s, in the period following Alfred's decisive defeat of the Vikings at Edington in 878.
At the Battle of Edington, King Alfred's army is reported as defeating what was called the 'Great Heathen Army', led by Guthrum in May 878 AD.
Four years previously, historical reports claim Mercia and its army had collapsed.
Guthrum made several attacks on Wessex from 875, and by early 878, his army occupied parts of the east and north east of England.
In spring 878 AD, King Alfred marched to Edington with West Saxon soldiers to take on Guthrum.
The West Saxon troops won the battle and King Alfred cut off supplies to Guthrum's army who had taken refuge in Chippenham.
At the Battle of Edington, King Alfred's army is reported as defeating what was called the 'Great Heathen Army', led by Guthrum in May 878 AD.
Four years previously, historical reports claim Mercia and its army had collapsed.
Guthrum made several attacks on Wessex from 875, and by early 878, his army occupied parts of the east and north east of England.
In spring 878 AD, King Alfred marched to Edington with West Saxon soldiers to take on Guthrum.
The West Saxon troops won the battle and King Alfred cut off supplies to Guthrum's army who had taken refuge in Chippenham.
On one side of the silver coins, jointly issued by Alfred and Ceowulf II, there is an image of two Roman-style emperors sitting side by side, which are thought to represent the allies. They were struck over several years in different mints, showing the alliance was not short-lived
The discovery was made by James Mather, 60, who had been hunting for treasure for five hours and was about to go home when he chanced upon the cache of valuable Viking items. He is pictured here with his metal detector at the location of the Watlington Hoard
View image on Twitter
Follow
British Museum ✔ @britishmuseum
A recent major discovery was this Viking hoard buried in the 870s in Watlington, Oxfordshire
9:15 AM - 10 Dec 2015
239 290
The Vikings asked King Alfred for a truce, which was granted as long as they left his kingdom immediately, and later became known as the Peace of Wedmore.
In particular, the experts believe the Viking treasure was buried when the Vikings moved north of the Thames and Guthrum returned to East Anglia where he was converted to Christianity with Alfred as his sponsor.
Nearly all of the objects come from the time of the 'Last Kingdom' when the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex were fighting for their survival from the threat of the Great Heathen Army.
The fight ultimately led to the unification of England and its kingdoms.
Mr Mather, a retired advertising manager, described the find as 'the holy grail of metal detecting'.
'You don't find things like this very often - it's the biggest thing I have ever found. It's every detector's dream,' he said.
He explained it was instinct that he felt there might be something of value in the area.
'I had wanted to search this particular bit of high ground and I didn't want to leave without going over it. I don't know why - it's a little bit of skill, a little bit of knowledge, a big slice of luck and a bit of X Factor,' he said.
After discovering the cache near Watlington, Mr Mather reported it to the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) - an online programme that records finds discovered by members of the public.
Five days later, with the help of a PAS liason officer and the landowner, a block of soil containing the artefacts, was brought to the British Museum.
It was then X-rayed and mapped before a team brushed away the mud and dirt to uncover the coins and silver jewellery.
Still inside a clod of soil, the hoard was X-rayed and mapped before a team brushed away the mud and dirt to uncover the coins and silver jewellery. Academics from the British Museum and the Ashmolean in Oxford believe the hoard was buried around the end of the 870s, in the period following Alfred's decisive defeat of the Vikings at Edington in 878
Mr Mather (pictured) hopes the artefacts (also shown) will go on show at a local museum. He said: 'I knew that I had found something interesting but I had no idea how important it would be'. The hoard must now go to a coroner who will decide if it is officially classed as treasure, and if it is, Mr Mather and the landowner will receive a reward
Dr Williams explained: 'Alfred and his successors forged a new kingdom of England by taking control of Mercia, before conquering the regions controlled by the Vikings.
'This hoard has the potential to provide important new information on relations between Mercia and Wessex at the beginning of that process.'
He added: 'What's interesting is that this hoard fills in a gap.
'We have a lot from the 860s to the late 870s and then a good selection from the mid-890s onwards but previously had very little from the in between period.
'This is the first major hoard of this period.'
Speaking at the event, Minister of State for Culture and the Digital Economy Ed Vaizey MP said: 'Fascinating finds like this Viking hoard are a great example of the one million discoveries that have been unearthed by the public since 1997.
Gareth Williams, curator of Early Medieval Coinage at the British Museum, said: 'What's interesting is that this hoard fills in a gap. We have a lot from the 860s to the late 870s and then a good selection from the mid-890s onwards but previously had very little from the in between period. This is the first major hoard of this period'
Speaking at the event, Minister of State for Culture and the Digital Economy Ed Vaizey MP said: 'Fascinating finds like this Viking hoard are a great example of the one million discoveries that have been unearthed by the public since 1997. The jewellery is shown above
'Sharing these archaeological treasures with the country means protecting them for future generations to learn more about our nation's rich and complex past.'
Mr Mather hopes the artefacts will go on show at a local museum.
Describing the moment he found the precious items, he explained: 'On 8 October last year I had been out for five hours without finding much and was just getting ready to pack up and go home.
'I spotted a small ingot about 2.4 inches (6cm) long - that was the thing I recognised as being potentially Viking as I had seen a similar one in the British Museum.
'I knew that I had found something interesting but I had no idea how important it would be.'
The hoard must now go to a coroner who will decide if it is officially classed as treasure, and if it is Mr Mather and the landowner will receive a reward.
Alfred the Great silver coins are commercially valued at more than £2,500 each, with those in good condition fetching far more, so any pay-out could be vast.
THE KINGS AND THEIR COINS: ALFRED THE GREAT OF WESSEX AND KING CEOLWULF II OF MERCIA
The hoard includes 186 coins from the times of Alfred the Great of Wessex, who ruled between 871 and 899 AD and King Ceolwulf II of Mercia, who ruled between 874 and 879 AD.
At this time, England was split into kingdoms. Alfred the Great ruled Wessex which covered the west and majority of south England, excluding Cornwall, while Mercia was ruled by King Ceolwulf II and covered the River Trent and the Midlands.
Alfred the Great is best known for defending his kingdom against the Viking attempt at conquest, and by the time of his death had become the dominant ruler in England.
At the time, England was split into kingdoms (shown on the map, top). Alfred the Great (illustrated bottom) ruled Wessex which covered the west and majority of south England,while Mercia was ruled by King Ceolwulf II and covered the River Trent and the Midlands
Wessex and its dependencies included the west and majority of south England, excluding Cornwall.
Alfred had a reputation of being a level-headed learned and merciful man who encouraged education and improved his people's quality of life.
By comparison, King Ceolwulf II was descendant of previous kings and was the last independent king of Mercia.
It is thought he was active in Wales and may have been killed in a battle known as 'God's vengeance for Rhodri' in 881.
Three types of penny were found that were issued in Ceolwulf's name and were designed in the 'Cross and Lozenge' style, also used by King Alfred.
Due to the fact the reigns of these rulers overlapped, and that King Ceolwulf's coinage is similar in style and design to that of Alfred of Wessex, it has been suggested the two teamed up to fight against the Vikings.
WHEN WERE THE COINS BURIED?
Academics from the British Museum and the Ashmolean in Oxford believe the hoard was buried around the end of the 870s, in the period following Alfred's decisive defeat of the Vikings at Edington in 878.
The experts think it was buried when the Vikings moved north of the Thames and their king Guthrum returned to East Anglia where he was converted to Christianity with Alfred as his sponsor.
Nearly all of the objects come from the time of the 'Last Kingdom' when the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex were fighting for their survival from the threat of a 'Great Heathen Army'. The fight led to the unification of England.
WHY IS THE FIND SIGNIFICANT?
Gareth Williams, Curator of Early Medieval Coinage at the British Museum, explained the hoard could help experts piece together information about the relations between Mercia and Wessex at the beginning of that process of unification.
It also 'fills a gap' because while there are lots of artefacts from the 860s to the late 870s and the mid-890s onwards there is otherwise little from the period in-between.
THE VIKINGS IN BRITAIN FROM 800 to 1016: RAIDS AND PEACE
Viking raids on Britain began at the end of the 8th century, Professor Edward James of University College, Dublin, wrote for the BBC.
In 1793, the bishop of Lindisfarne wrote to Ethelred, King of Northumbria, telling him the monastery had been attacked by Viking raiders and in the coming few decades, attacks intensified.
In 866, the Vikings captured York and a year later took over part of Northumbria. By 878 they had conquered almost all of England.
But the story goes that Alfred the Great, who hid in the marshes near Athelney in Somerset to survive, reformed his army and defeated the Vikings at Edington in Wiltshire, later that year.
Viking raids (illustrated) on Britain began at the end of the 8th century. In 1793, the bishop of Lindisfarne wrote to Ethelred, King of Northumbria, telling him the monastery had been attacked by Viking raiders and in the coming few decades, attacks intensified
He forced peace on the invaders and the Viking army seems to have across the channel for a few years, leaving Alfred time to build fortresses.
When the Vikings returned in the 890s, the West Saxons were able to resist, leaving Alfred, at his death in 899AD, king of the only independent English kingdom.
His son, Edward the Elder (899 to 944AD) captured the south of England from the Danes and incorporated Mercia into his kingdom.
For several rulers afterwards there was peace, with England largely converted to Christianity, But then came the 'second Viking age' with large-scale raids to plunder wealth from the land.
By the end of the 9th century, Vikings were living in different parts of Britain and in 1016, king Cnut of Denmark became king of England too.
Read more: Viking coins, ingots and jewellery unearthed near Watlington, Oxfordshire | Daily Mail Online
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