Giant dragon artwork marks 900 years of book

The giant dragon artwork is hanging in the nave at Rochester Cathedral

A giant artwork depicting an important piece of ancient writing is to go on display at a Kent tourist attraction.

The installation of the 20m-long (65ft) dragon in the nave of Rochester Cathedral is to mark the 900th anniversary of Textus Roffensis.

The Anglo-Saxon manuscript, which was written in Rochester in the 1120s, is said to have inspired the Magna Carta.

Draco Roffensis: The Rochester Dragon is on display from Saturday and "inspired by artwork found within the pages" of the ancient book, a cathedral spokesperson said.

Made of gold, silver and copper foil sewn onto wire panels, the new artwork will be suspended above the nave allowing services and events to continue underneath.

The underbelly of the dragon will be made from recycled materials.

Quotes from Textus Roffensis, which is also on display in the cathedral, will be written on it allowing visitors to discover more about early medieval England.

Textus Roffensis is 900 years old and on display at Rochester Cathedral

The dragon will be covered in thousands of embossed golden scales decorated by cathedral visitors and the community.

Artist Wendy Daws said: "I’m excited to work together with so many different communities, to help create the embossed foil scales, an integral part of the design that will bring the dragon sculpture alive.”

The artwork is on display at Rochester Cathedral until 21 September.