Gloucestershire is believed to have been founded in the 10th century, however, recent discoveries suggest a much deeper history within our county, one that extends well beyond those early records. Although we lack written documentation from the Iron Age, artefacts like the Birdlip Bronze Mirror offer glimpses into the lives of those who resided here over 2,000 years ago.
With May being Local and Community History Month there is no better time to learn about and appreciate those who came before us and nobody better to learn from than a Gloucestershire author who has written a new book relating to the period of history.
Revealing the last days of the Iron Age in the county through an adventure novel inspired by archeological discoveries near Birdlip and Bagendon, Cirencester-based author Anne Buffoni has written “Kirin of the Dobunni”, a novel that sets out to unveil some of the mystery around Iron Age Gloucestershire and push past some of what we already know to get to the real roots of Gloucestershire.
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Having previously been a primary school teacher, Anne has a love of sharing knowledge and has a keen interest in encouraging people to discover more about Gloucestershire’s ancient past.
Launching her novel this month at the Corinium Museum in Cirencester with publisher Crumps Barn Studio also based in the town, Anne said: “In the Cotswolds we have a rich legacy from the Roman era, but what about the people who lived here before? What was their life like? I wanted to tell their story and I would love readers to realise that apart from the passage of time and technology, they were like us.”
A number of the real Iron Age objects mentioned in the book are cared for by Caroline Morris, Collections and Education Manager at the Corundum Museum, Cirencester who said “Anne’s book is a perfect companion to [a museum], enabling her reader to imaginatively step across into the world these objects came from.”
“The Iron Age locations I describe in the book are reconstructions of real archaeological sites, such as the grave goods found near Birdlip, known as the ‘Birdlip Treasure’, Anne adds. Kirin’s journey across the Cotswolds is a quest to help his friend, and his adventure is very much a story for all the family. It’s suitable for younger readers and adults and I know a lot of people will be fascinated to know that the objects in the book are real, and many can actually be seen in local museums, including Gloucester City Museum and the Corinium Museum.”
Anne has got big dreams for her book and hopes she can inspire some budding historians herself. Caroline Morris, Collections and Education Manager at the Corinium Museum, Cirencester, cares for many of the Iron Age objects which inspired the novel.
Caroline said: “I believe that every object can tell a story and a museum is the channel through which the stories are told. Anne’s book is a perfect companion to that, enabling her reader to imaginatively step across into the world these objects came from.”
