Fiction Writer Inspired by Bryher Sword

The ancient Sword found on Bryher has returned to the Islands museum, coinciding with the release of a Children’s book inspired by the discovery.

The Sword has recently been described as one of the most important finds in the Islands ever, and has been away at the British Museum who have attempted to preserve the artefact from further corrosion. The Sword, found by farmer Paul Jenkins along with a mirror in what was though to be part of a ceremonial burial, will be on display in the Isles of Scilly Museum. Honorary Curator, Steve Ottery says he is ‘Very excited? about the prospect of the sword being on display.

Fiction writer, Michael Morpurgo arrived in the Islands at the same time as the Sword in order to promote his new book ‘The Sleeping Sword?, which he launched on Bryher. The book revolves around the central character of a young boy who is blinded in an accident and then encapsulated, by way of the discovery, into a world of Arthurian legend.

This is not the first time Morpurgo has linked the legend of King Arthur to the Islands in this, his 94th book. Previous Morpurgo titles, which have also been set on Bryher have included, ‘When the Wales Came? and ‘The wreck of the Zanzibar’. When the Wales came was transformed into a film, set in the Islands, in the late 1980?s.

The book can be viewed at http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1405204923/scillynews-21.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/england/newsid_1858000/1858788.stm: “Iron Age Sword Returns to Islands”