Staffordshire Hoard discovery prompts search for Ancient local king and his treasure

Oct 3 2009

Priceless treasure unearthed in a local field belonged to the legendary ‘King of Cheslyn Hay’, local historians believe. They feel the ‘Staffordshire Hoard’, officially declared as treasure last week, belonged to an Anglo Saxon king connected to Cheslyn Hay. Despite searches, the grave of the nobleman has never been discovered. But historians now believe it is only a matter of time before the last resting place of the king is discovered.

Trevor McFarlane, from Cheslyn Hay and District History Society, said the village name derives from ‘Chistlin Hay’ - Anglo Saxon for a small chest or coffin.

“It’s already said in the history books that there has been a king buried in this area,” Trevor told The Post.

“People are saying this is a weapons cache which has been found. But you don’t have gold weapons. Archaeologists are saying these belonged to an important chieftain or king from West Mercia.”

This was before the time England even existed on the map.

Local legend has it that the king was buried at Middle Hill - but when the M6 Toll was built excavations did not reveal anything.

“In my belief, the burial site is a mile down the road, near Brownhills,” Trevor said.

“In 600-700 AD maps were not that definitive.”

Trevor believes the treasure belongs to ‘the lost King of Cheslyn Hay’.

“This links in perfectly with the history or legend of Cheslyn Hay,” he said. “Historians have been saying this for years.”

One theory is that riches were buried with a king ‘for the afterworld’.