ARTEFACTS from the last known resting place of King Alfred will go on show to the public for the first time next weekend.

The items were found in community digs on the site of Hyde Abbey.

Next week, as part of the country-wide Heritage Open Days festival, pieces of medieval tiles and intricately-carved Norman masonry from Hyde’s lost abbey are set to be displayed for the first time in Winchester city centre.

The finds, discovered during April’s Hyde900 community archaeology dig in gardens on King Alfred Terrace and lifted to protect them for the future, were all once part of the vast Hyde Abbey, which was demolished in the 16th century as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

They include 12th century carved stones and unique pieces of beautifully-decorated encaustic tiles, and will be exhibited in the Cathedral Inner Close from September 13-16. Also on view will be the magnificent Norman arch discovered during last year’s Hyde900 dig, which has attracted international attention and will be having its first public outing in central Winchester next week before it is removed to permanent display in the City Museum.

As part of the Hyde900 group’s mission to bring Hyde’s ancient abbey to life, they will also be running tile-making workshops in the Cathedral Close throughout the four days of the exhibition.

The making of medieval encaustic tiles was a celebrated art involving many elaborate designs, and visitors to the Heritage Open Days can have a go at making some themselves. People of all ages can book to take part in the workshops via www.hyde900.org or the Heritage Open Days website.

Also during the heritage weekend Hyde900 will announce its programme for this year's King Alfred weekend festival (October 25-28) featuring Dr. Simon Roffey from the University of Winchester who will give a lecture on 'what did the monasteries ever do for us'.

Accompanying photographs

• photograph from the Hyde900 Community Excavation 2018

• three photos of fragments of stonework from the dig

• the reconstruction of the Norman cloister arch assembled from finds from the Hyde900 community digs

• Master tile maker instructing on the art of tile making at the 2017 Heritage Open Day event

• Encaustic tile fragment found during digs at Hyde Abbey