Early in the 11th century, a young Benedictine monk named Eilmer took to the skies from Malmesbury Abbey, attempting something that would be considered extraordinary even today. He fashioned crude wings out of willow wood and cloth and managed a gliding distance of 600 feet before crash-landing with broken legs.

The story of this medieval flying monk comes via 12th-century historian William of Malmesbury, who also noted that Eilmer witnessed Halley’s comet in 1066. Some historians interpret his comment—“It is long since I saw you”—as a reference to seeing the comet on its previous visit, in 989.

However, James Aitcheson from the University of Leicester argues that Eilmer may have seen a different comet as a youth, suggesting he witnessed Halley’s in 1018. This would make his flight attempt a much later event between the 1020s and 1040s.

Regardless of when exactly these events occurred, Eilmer's story remains a testament to human curiosity and the enduring mystery surrounding Halley’s comet.