This summer, a masterpiece of medieval English literature is coming back to life.

Written around 650 years ago by William Langland, Piers Plowman enters the mind of a wanderer, Will, as he falls asleep in the Malvern Hills, dreams of a ‘fair field full of folk’ and embarks on a quest to find Truth. In vivid alliterative verse, Langland documents a world of inequality, political corruption and spiritual crisis that is uncannily like our own.

In this exhibition you can discover more about the world of the poem, hear Middle English being spoken, and explore the enduring influence of medieval literature on modern writers and artists. Specially commissioned artist responses from Larry Achiampong (video) and Nicola Jedrzejczaka (book art), alongside a rare and exquisite early manuscript of Piers Plowman.

Curated by National Poetry Library & Penned in the Margins as part of Fair Field – a major arts and education project to re-imagine Piers Plowman through site-responsive performances, workshops and digital resources.