Elmer's story is that of a go getting early innovator and pioneer, it is recounted here.

These are very much the kind of traits that a leading edge consultancy would like within it's brand image. It is for these reasons, along with the obvious local connection that I chose the Flying Monk name for my business. 

Elmer's Story

Malmesbury today is dominated at it's centre by the ruins of an ancient abbey.

In it's day the abbey was taller than Salisbury Cathedral and an important centre of learning, with a standing such as that held by Oxford or Cambridge today.

Within the confines of the abbey lived a scholar - Father Elmer - and like men throughout the ages Elmer dreamed of flying with the birds, this was quite a fanciful notion in 1000-1010AD!

However, Elmer managed to secure the support and funding of his Father Abbot and thus his studies began. Following months of watching various birds in and around the town and abbey grounds Elmer concluded that with a pair of wings he too could fly.

Eventually he built a pair wings, from wood and wax covered parchment, in the form of a simple glider, into which he securely fastened himself at the top high tower. He then took a "leap of faith" and jumped. To the astonishment of a growing crowd of bystanders from both the abbey and the town Elmer actually flew, covering a distance of about half a mile!

His flight did, however, end in a crash landing (the world's first) when a sudden gust of wind caught him and threw him to the ground breaking both his legs. Unfortunately the Father Abbot then banned Elmer from any further flights or studies, though whilst recuperating Elmer correctly theorised that if he had had a tail (as proposed by Leonardo da Vinci many years later) he could've kept control and landed safely.

Elmer's story was recounted and documented by a famous Wessex historian called the Venerable Bede, and thus he goes down in history as the first recorded successful manned flight in the world.

Quite an innovator and pioneer I'm sure you'll agree.

To this day Elmer's exploits are commemorated by a decorative stained glass window within Malmesbury Abbey.

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