Frome Museum to display 1,500-year-old Saxon throwing axe

The axe will form part of a new display tracing the history of Frome

The head of a Saxon throwing axe used around 1,500 years ago will be going on display.

Detectorist Mike McGuinness found it buried in one of the water meadows at Oldfield Hall in Spring Gardens, Somerset.

Experts at The British Museum said the design of the axe dated it to between AD450 and AD550.

It will form part of a display at the free-to-visit Frome Museum, which will trace the history of the town.

The design of the axe dates it to between AD450 and AD550

Its discovery suggests the Saxons may have reached Somerset as early as AD500.

This contradicts previous thinking that they did not reach the West Country until the middle of the 7th Century.

The axe head was likely used by the Saxons in their battles against the Romano-British.