Explore Malmesbury’s claim as England’s first capital, predating London and Winchester, linked to King Athelstan’s reign.
Explore Malmesbury’s claim as England’s first capital, predating London and Winchester, linked to King Athelstan’s reign.
Malmesbury The Quaint Town That May Have Been England’s First Capital
Malmesbury has an old charter given by Alfred the Great around the year 880. This makes it England’s oldest borough, and some people even think it was England’s first capital, possibly before London and Winchester.
King Athelstan had a special connection to it, which surprised a podcast guy, Ian Chapman-Curry. He’d never even heard of Malmesbury before and was unaware of its key role in English history.
He knew London wasn’t always the capital and that Winchester had a big Alfred the Great statue. He also knew about Winchester’s earlier importance. Athelstan might have made Malmesbury the capital in 925 AD.
This date matters because he united England in 927 AD. If Malmesbury was his capital then, it was England’s first. However, others disagree with this idea about the capital.
They say Athelstan gave the town benefits but didn’t move the capital. Winchester kept some important state stuff then. So, who is right about this old issue? It’s hard to say for sure because back then, “capital” was different.
Anyway, this Cotswold town is pretty. You should visit the historic abbey for sure. This abbey is the third one on that spot, as St Aldhelm built the first church there, and later, a bigger stone church was built nearby.
The current abbey began construction in 1180, and a huge spire was added over the next 200 years. It was once England’s tallest structure, but it fell in the late 1400s. The tower fell a century later, and now, only the nave remains.
At Malmesbury Abbey, visit King Athelstan’s tomb. You can also see a 15th-century Bible and Henry VII’s crest. Check out the amazing Norman porch that shows Christian salvation. Hannah Twynnoy’s gravestone is also there; a tiger killed her in 1703.
People from Malmesbury have a funny nickname: They’re sometimes called Jackdaws because many jackdaws live in the abbey.
Each August, the town has a carnival that raises money for the local community. They even had the world’s biggest pillow fight once!
Malmesbury has an old charter given by Alfred the Great around the year 880. This makes it England’s oldest borough, and some people even think it was England’s first capital, possibly before London and Winchester.
King Athelstan had a special connection to it, which surprised a podcast guy, Ian Chapman-Curry. He’d never even heard of Malmesbury before and was unaware of its key role in English history.
He knew London wasn’t always the capital and that Winchester had a big Alfred the Great statue. He also knew about Winchester’s earlier importance. Athelstan might have made Malmesbury the capital in 925 AD.
This date matters because he united England in 927 AD. If Malmesbury was his capital then, it was England’s first. However, others disagree with this idea about the capital.
They say Athelstan gave the town benefits but didn’t move the capital. Winchester kept some important state stuff then. So, who is right about this old issue? It’s hard to say for sure because back then, “capital” was different.
Anyway, this Cotswold town is pretty. You should visit the historic abbey for sure. This abbey is the third one on that spot, as St Aldhelm built the first church there, and later, a bigger stone church was built nearby.
The current abbey began construction in 1180, and a huge spire was added over the next 200 years. It was once England’s tallest structure, but it fell in the late 1400s. The tower fell a century later, and now, only the nave remains.
At Malmesbury Abbey, visit King Athelstan’s tomb. You can also see a 15th-century Bible and Henry VII’s crest. Check out the amazing Norman porch that shows Christian salvation. Hannah Twynnoy’s gravestone is also there; a tiger killed her in 1703.
People from Malmesbury have a funny nickname: They’re sometimes called Jackdaws because many jackdaws live in the abbey.
Each August, the town has a carnival that raises money for the local community. They even had the world’s biggest pillow fight once!