THE classic notion of good triumphing over evil which is at the heart of the longest epic poem in Old English is to be brought to life as part of an event at Hexham Abbey.

The tale of the Geatish prince, Beowulf, his successive battles with a monster called Grendel, Grendel’s vengeful mother, and a dragon guarding a hoard of treasure, will form the centre piece of Beowulf, Bishops and Battles.

Staged during the February half-term school holiday, the event will highlight the potential links between the 3,000-line poem set in Scandanavia and the Abbey itself.

“Nobody knows for sure when the Beowulf poem was first composed and it was obviously retold orally for generations,” said Kevin Robson, of Haydon Bridge-based historical education collective, Wild Dog Outdoors, which has been enlisted to run the event.

“But there is a well-known theory that it was first written down in a North-East monastery, so that could well have been in Hexham.”

Through three Anglo-Saxon characters – Beowulf, Wilfrid and Ecgfrith – families will be offered an interactive experience to learn more about the Abbey’s long history.

“The fact that Beowulf is the subject of a massive new ITV series has made it really topical and there’s definitely renewed interest,” said Kevin’s wife, Sara, who worked for The Vindolanda Trust for three years and helped co-found Wild Dog in 2013.

The 12-part big budget production, Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands , is currently being screened at 7pm every Sunday and eagle-eyed viewers will have spotted some Tynedale locations in the episodes so far.

The set for the fort and campsite of Bregan, home to tough fishermen and warriors battling the terrifying monster Grendel, was constructed at Millshield, on Derwent Reservoir.

The Northumbrian Water reservoir and woodland around Slaley proved popular locations during filming last year with actor Kieran Bew – who is orginally from Hartlepool – in the lead role.

Writer and executive producer James Dormer, said: “Hundreds of years ago our ancestors listened to the story of Beowulf because it was a great adventure story.

“It scared them, thrilled them, made them laugh and cry. It’s incredibly exciting to have the opportunity to make it relevant again for a wide audience – to let them own it again.”

Cumbrian archaeologist, Joseph Jackson, is to take on the Beowulf role to re-tell the story for the Abbey event.

“If the Beowulf poem was, in fact, first written in Hexham, having the chance to re-tell the story there for the first time in over 1,300 years feels like quite an honour and an exciting prospect for me,” he said.

“Today, we see it as a story of good versus evil, but back when it was written, it would have been heeded as a warning of morality.

“Beowulf was an elite warrior and a member of the Scandinavian royal family, but he was also a man, and the story makes it clear that he was flawed.

“He embodied the cardinal sins through his pride, greed and thirst for glory and, in the end, he died an old man full of regret.”

Kevin will also be dressed in costume depicting the era, as he takes on the role of seventh century King Ecgfrith.

Known as a fierce warrior, he ruled the kingdom of Northumbria when it was at the height of its power.

He will set the scene by telling the story of Ecgfrith’s connection to the Abbey through his first wife, Etheldreda, who granted the land on which the original Benedictine Abbey was built.

Children, too, will be given the chance to create their own Anglo-Saxon shield designs before taking part in shield drills with Ecgfrith.

As Wilfrid, Bishop of York and the founder of Hexham Abbey, historical interpreter Terry Harvey-Chadwick will tell stories of his life and the sanctuary offered by the church and its Frith Stool.

Anyone who managed to reach the Frith, such as a criminal fleeing justice, could not be arrested until they were granted assurance of fair treatment.

“Linking in with the theme of writing, I’ll be demonstrating how iron gall ink was made and I’ll have samples of parchment and feather and reed quills so people can have a go for themselves,” explained Terry, a former science teacher.

“The ink was essentially made by a chemical reaction between tannic acid, found in galls made by oak gall wasps, and iron sulphate.

“There’ll be mortar and pestles there, too, so visitors can have a go at preparing some of the ingredients for themselves.”

Education and community engagement officer at Hexham Abbey, Toni Bush, said: “Events like this help us open up the Abbey’s fascinating history to a much wider audience.

“The Abbey was being built at the same time as the Beowulf story was being written down, so the idea that it could have been recorded here in Hexham is not as fanciful as it sounds, although of course we will never know.

“It was known as the ‘golden age’ of the kingdom of Northumbria and what is tantalising for us here is that the first church built in Hexham was said to have been the most amazing in all of Northern Europe.

“Alongside that it would have had monastic buildings and a community surrounding it.

“Wilfrid is also known to have brought beautiful books here and the monks of the time would have been learning to write down texts, so it’s not an impossible notion.”

As part of the event, a team of volunteers from the Abbey will also be opening up the crypt.

“Visits down there always have to be supervised because the steps are so steep,” added Toni.

“But it’s always one of the highlights for children when they visit.

“We hope to have one of our wonderful volunteers down there bringing the whole thing to life by reading the Lord’s Prayer in Anglo-Saxon English.

“All I can say is it’s very atmospheric and really transports you back in time.”

Behind the Frith Stool, which was almost certainly used by Wilfrid as a throne, a trap door in the floor will also be opened to allow visitors to view a ruin of part of Wilfrid’s church, which was unearthed 100 years ago when the floor of the Abbey was being re-laid.

“It’s a part of the Abbey that not everyone gets to see and together with the Frith Stool – which children find amazing when we tell them it’s 1,300 years old, but they can sit on it – we hope it makes the day pretty special.”

The event is free to attend and will take place on Saturday, February 20, between 10am and 3pm.

For more information about educational visits, see www.wilddogoutdoors.co.uk