TREASURE ANNU AL REPORT 2005/6 - Portable Antiquities Scheme

421. Cerne Abbas, Dorset: medieval gold finger-ring
(2005 T360)
Date: Probably 15th century
Discovery: Found by Mr S Rossiter while metaldetecting
in September 2004.
Description: A Medieval gold finger-ring, the hoop
engraved with a black letter inscription, alternating
with sprigs of foliage and a lozenge design, against a
hatched ground. The inscription is difficult to decipher,
but may read: cest + en bone [?] foy (it is in good
faith). The hoop is of D-shaped section, the internal
band slightly damaged. Diameter: 21mm. The ring may
have been a marriage ring or love token.
Disposition: Dorset County Museum hopes to acquire.
B NENK
422. Thornbury, south Gloucestershire: medieval
silver-gilt iconographic finger-ring fragment
(2006 T555)
Date: 15th century
Discovery: Found by Mr P Twinn while metal-detecting
in August 2006.
Description: The three-faced bezel has crudely
engraved images on each of the faces, representing
in the centre an image of the Trinity, with Christ
suspended from a Y-shaped Cross; on the right, St John
the Baptist; and on the left, two female Saints, possibly
the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene.
Discussion: The three latter Saints frequently appear
in Crucifixion scenes, which might account for their
presence here. The shoulders also have three faces, each
with an engraved flower running down its length. The
hoop is missing below the shoulders on both sides.
Disposition: Bristol City Museum.
K ADAMS & J P ROBINSON
423. Kirkham area, Lancashire:
medieval gold finger-ring (2005 T99)
Date: 15th century
Discovery: Found by Mr M Wolstencroft while metaldetecting
in March 2005.
Description: A Medieval finger-ring of hollow
construction. The hoop is decorated at three points
with the motif of an open book. Six spherical pellets
decorate the top and bottom of the hoop at the points
where the leaves of the book are placed. Between each
book a beaded panel of text is inserted which reads:
cest mon decir (c’est mon desir/ it is my desire). Each
open book is inscribed with two letters: PO YR EC
(pour E C/ for EC ). The initials E C are undoubtedly
those of a lover. Diameter: 23mm; height: 10mm.
Discussion: The ring’s construction relates to another
found among a hoard deposited at Chalcis on the
Greek island of Euboea. Discovered in 1840, the hoard
is split between the British Museum and the Ashmolean
Museum, Oxford, which has the ring. The Chalcis ring
takes the form of a knight’s belt. The Kirkham find is
equally chivalric in character.
Disposition: Lancashire Museums had hoped to
acquire but withdrew; British Museum.
J P ROBINSON
424. Whitchurch, shropshire:
medieval gold finger-ring (2005 T472)
Date: 15th century
Discovery: Found by Mr A Monks while metaldetecting
in October 2005.
Description: A Medieval gold finger-ring, of hollow,
D-shaped construction (with a small hole in the
surface). The ring is engraved with a black letter
inscription, which may read: JE LE DI (I say/speak it),
each pair of letters separated by engraved foliage.
Diameter: 19mm; width: 2mm.
Discussion: The ring may have been intended as a
marriage ring, the inscription perhaps meaning that the
ring itself is an expression of love.
Disposition: Shropshire County Museums Service.
B NENK
425. stowe, staffordshire: medieval gold finger-ring
(2005 T91)
Date: 15th century
Discovery: Found by Mr G Thompson while metaldetecting
in February 2005.
Description: A Medieval finger-ring consisting of a flat
band with an applied, beaded border. Within the border
is a double lined inscription of amatory sentiment
which reads: + AMOUR : VAUIT : TOUT FORS CEUR . DE
. VILLAIN + AMOUR: EN: VOIE : COULLAS : EYOIE. The
inscription translates as: Love is worth much more than
a base heart / Love sends solace and joy.
Disposition: Potteries Museum & Art Gallery,
Stoke-on-Trent.
J P ROBINSON
426. Durnford, Wiltshire: medieval silver-gilt
iconographic finger-ring (2005 T175)
Date: 15th century
Discovery: Found by Mr D Martin while metaldetecting
in April 2005.
Description: An incomplete iconographic finger-ring,
triangular in section with each edge and the central
midrib accentuated. On each is inscribed a crude and
unidentifiable figure. Usually these take the form of
saints, but in this case the second appears to have a
skull-like head – possibly a depiction of life and death.
Dimensions: 21 x 7.5 x 4mm; weight: 3.7g.
Either side of the bezel the shoulders are decorated
with a roughly oval recess nearest the bezel, from
which grooves extends downwards to depict a flower
on a stem with leaves. Gilding survives only in the
grooves and recesses.
Discussion: For parallels, see Alton, Hampshire
(Treasure Annual Report 2001 no.104).
Disposition: Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum.
K HINDS
427. Redditch, Worcestershire:
medieval gold finger-ring (2005 T158)
Date: Probably 15th century
Discovery: Found by Mr M Farmer while metaldetecting
in March 2005.
Description: A Medieval gold finger-ring, the D-shaped
hoop engraved with the letters: i e a d o re (Je adore).
Each group of letters is juxtaposed between three
engraved X-shaped crosses, each cross holding two
hearts within the horizontal axis. The background is
cross-hatched. The amatory inscription suggests this
may have been a marriage ring. Diameter: 21mm.
Disposition: Worcestershire County Museum Service
had hoped to acquire but withdrew; returned to finder.
B NENK
428. Tawstock, Devon: medieval silver-gilt
iconographic finger-ring fragments (2005 T208)
Date: Late 15th–early 16th century
Discovery: Found by Mr A Shaddick while metaldetecting
in 1998.
Description: Four fragments of a Medieval fingerring.
The bezel consists of two grooved, vertical
compartments which accommodate the engraved
images of saints. In the left compartment is an image
of St John the Baptist, holding his attribute of the
Lamb of God and in the right is a female saint, possibly
St Katharine. The hoop is almost entirely lost but a
substantial part of the shoulders of the ring survives.
On the left shoulder is a depiction of the Virgin and
Child and on the right shoulder is a female saint,
possibly St Barbara.
Disposition: Museum of Barnstaple & North Devon.
J P ROBINSON
429. pulham, Dorset: medieval silver signet ring
(2005 T570)
Date: 15th–early 16th century
Discovery: Found by Mr A Maidment while metaldetecting
in October 2005.
Description: A large Medieval silver signet ring, the
bezel engraved with a five-lobed flower containing the
letter ‘I’. Diameter: 28mm; height: 29mm.
Discussion: Signet rings were used for sealing letters
and documents; those bearing capital letters would
have signified the initial letter of the name of
the owner.
Disposition: Dorset County Museum wishes to acquire.
B NENK
430. Clavering, Essex: medieval silver-gilt finger-ring
(2005 T492)
Date: 15th–early 16th century
Discovery: Found by Mr L Crane while metal-detecting
in October 2005.
Description: A Medieval finger-ring and missing a small
portion, possibly removed for size adjustment. The
interior is inscribed with the words: ….gode be trewe
[to?] (God be true). A heart is engraved between the
words ‘gode’ and ‘be’ with sprigs of foliage which act
as spacers between each word. Gilding survives fairly
completely on the internal surface but exists only in
spots on the outside of the hoop. Diameter: 24.5mm.
Disposition: Saffron Walden Museum.
J P ROBINSON
431. North of Colchester, Essex: medieval gold
iconographic finger-ring (2006 T445)
Date: Late 15th–early 16th century
Discovery: Found by Mr D Bailey in September 2006.
Description: A finger-ring of iconographic type, the
bezel is hexagonal and contains a depiction of God the
Father holding the figure of Christ on the Cross. This
was the conventional way to portray the Trinity in the
late Medieval period, though the dove representing the
Holy Spirit seems to be absent.
The hoop of the ring is twisted. The twists closest
to the bezel are engraved with seven five-petalled
flowers and possibly a lupin. The five-petalled flower
is a recognised reference to the five wounds of Christ
and the number seven may be an allusion to the seven
sorrows of the Virgin Mary. Diameter: 18.9mm;
weight: 2.96g.
Disposition: Colchester & Ipswich Museums Service.
J P ROBINSON
118 MEDIEVAL MEDIEVAL 119