Some time during the first decade of the 1000's, Eilmer the Monk fixed wings to his hands and feet and launched himself from the top of a tower of Malmesbury Abbey.

To perform the maneuver of gliding downward against the breeze, utilizing both gravity and the wind, Eilmer employed an apparatus somewhat resembling a gliding bird.

However being unable to balance himself forward and backwards, as does a bird by slight movements of its wings, head and legs, he would have needed a large tail to maintain equilibrium.

In 925AD, King Athelstan of Wessex the son of Alfred made Malmesbury his capital.

The hilltop contains several freshwater springs, which created early settlements. Recent archaeological excavations have revealed stone town wall defences, which have shown history of a Neolithic fort and foundations of a wooden Iron Age fort between 800 and 500BC.