VISITORS to Cotehele will be used to seeing artefacts displayed on walls of the National Trust house but for this weekend the ancient weapons are available to hold.

Many of the bladed weapons normally found on the Tudor walls of the Great Hall can be held in an exhibition ending this Sunday (August 29).

Many of the weapons date from the 16th and 17th centuries, including a backsword from Scotland, a rapier from Spain, a tomahawk from North America, a mace from India and Maasai javelins from Africa.

Margriet Hage, house and collections intern, said: 'We have had a two-handed sword in our current exhibition which has been available throughout the year for our visitors to hold. This has been such a huge success that we would like to give our visitors a closer look at the weapons, to hold them and examine them and see them as individuals rather than wall decorations. The summer holidays are an ideal time for this as we have many families visiting.'

The exhibition continues until Sunday (August 29), from 11am to 4pm.