Revealing Our Roots
For the Revealing Our Roots film project, Rural Media brought together young filmmakers, aged 11 to 15, to explore the story of the Herefordshire Hoard, a remarkable Anglo-Saxon and Viking treasure buried in 878 AD and hidden underground for more than 1,000 years.
The film, told in five parts, depicts a reimagining of the Hoard’s experience, from burial to rediscovery, using creative storytelling to explore what it means to be hidden, taken, and finally seen. It was developed and created by young people from Ledbury with Rural Media and Ledbury Community Hub.
About the Herefordshire Hoard
Buried around 878 AD, the Herefordshire Hoard is a remarkable collection of Anglo-Saxon and international coins and gold jewellery. Most important are five rare double emperor coins, some with face of King Alfred of Wessex and the others with face of King Ceolwulf of Mercia. These finds tell us that the kings worked together in an alliance which changes our understanding of the relationship between these two kingdoms.
Beyond its historical significance, the Hoard is the centre of the UK’s largest heritage crime investigation. Discovered near Leominster in 2015, only 33 have so far been recovered of the estimated 300 objects.
The Hoard was acquired with funding and support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England, The Headley Trust, Hereford Museum Service Support Group, Friends of Herefordshire Museums and Arts, and LG Harris Trust, as well as generous donations from members of the public.
Making the film
Rural Media ran a weekly film club at Ledbury Community Hub from January to April 2026, supporting participants to experiment with and gain creative digital and filmmaking skills while developing their own understanding of what an ancient treasure find means for Herefordshire's history and identity.
Sessions ranged from learning about the Hoard and handling replicas to storyboarding ideas and practical filmmaking on mobile phone kits. The young people planned and produced a short film in five chapters, choosing to tell the Hoard's story from the perspective of the objects themselves. Everything, including the animations, was created by the participants.
Sharing
The young people’s films were shared at Ledbury Community Day 2026, and across social media. They’re also being screened at Ledbury Community Hub as part of a special window display featuring bespoke artwork from Hay-on-Wye based artist Jessica Watkins (www.jessicarisingstudio.com).
Revealing Our Roots is led by Herefordshire Museums & Galleries and supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund.
