Historical tales of women celebrated in Wolverhampton exhibition
Historical tales of ‘powerful’ women entwined into the region’s past will be brought to life at the city’s art gallery.
Jonathan Collings is set to celebrate the lives of the Saxon figures with his free storytelling sessions dubbed 'Three Women' at Wolverhampton Art Gallery.
Writer and historian Jefny Ashcroft called on Mr Collings to share the lives of three 'fantastic' Mercian women - Wulfrun, Aethelflaed and Aelfgifu.
She said: “Wolverhampton was right in the heart of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, which was the location for several battles during the repeated Danish onslaughts.
"It will be amazing to find out about these three personalities that these stories are about. They were powerful women.
"They all had fascinating life stories and personal experience of the Vikings. It's refreshing to find out about how some of the women in Mercia were in the Anglo-Saxon period. It's interesting."
The tales will feature founder of Wolverhampton Wulfrun, known by many as Lady Wulfruna.
She was captured by the Vikings at the siege of Tamworth and is believed to have been ransomed before returning to her family.
Families will also discover more about Lady of the Mercians Aethelflaed, who was a general at the Battle of Tettenhall/Wednesfield in 910AD.
She is also thought to have built fortified towns such as Bridgnorth, Stafford, Warwick and Wednesbury.
Aelfgifu, the wife of former King of England Canute, will also feature in the storytelling sessions.
Ms Ashcroft added: "Jonathan will make it quite dramatic. It's not just for kids, adults will enjoy it too."
Performances in the Lichfield Street gallery's Georgian Room will take place at 11.30am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm on Sunday.
