TREASURE ANNU AL REPORT 2005/6 - Portable Antiquities Scheme

712. Littlethorpe, North yorkshire:
16th–17th-century hemispherical dress fitting,
possibly a button (2006 T254) pAs ID: pAs-8C7D02
Found by Mr A Grange while metal-detecting in
March 2006; disclaimed, returned to finder.
D THORNTON
713. south Thoresby, Lincolnshire: 17th-century
silver or tin-plated copper-alloy shield-shaped dress
fastener (2006 T24) pAs ID: pAs-8C8b78
Found by Mr D Revell while metal-detecting in
December 2005; not Treasure, returned to finder.
K LEAHY
714. polesworth, Warwickshire: possible postmedieval
openwork dress fitting, of close to
britannia standard silver (2006 T88)
pAs ID: LEIC-F554E7
Found by Mr R Chester while metal-detecting in 2006;
not Treasure, returned to finder.
D THORNTON
(VII) FINGER-RINGs
715. Chester, Cheshire:
post-medieval gold finger-ring (2006 T164)
Date: 16th century
Discovery: Found as part of the Chester Amphitheatre
Project during controlled excavation in August 2005.
Description: A serjeant-at-law’s ring, comprising a gold
band with an inscribed motto on the outside between
punched borders. The inscription is divided by one
white and one red enamelled flower and reads: REGIS.
PREP * LEG + EX *. The second ‘P’ of ‘PREP’ and the ‘G’
of ‘LEG’ are both written as to signify an abbreviation.
Discussion: Two rings in the British Museum
collections have similar mottos and are decorated in
the same manner; these are dated to the first half of
the 16th century (Baker 1984, 474, plate VI 4 and 5;
Dalton 1912 cat. nos. 1678, 1679). The mottos appear
to be different for each call of serjeants, however
detailed records of the rings given at each and every
call were not kept and this particular example does not
appear in the list of published mottos. Further work is
also required to expand the abbreviations. A serjeantat-law
was a high-ranking barrister from whose ranks
judges were chosen. In general only a small number
of serjeants were appointed at any one time. Their
appointment was accompanied by ceremony and
celebration including a great feast and the giving of
gold rings by the appointee to colleagues, friends,
important officials and, at times, the king.
Disposition: Disclaimed, to remain with the main site
archive (Grosvenor Museum).
J EDWARDS
716. Lavenham, suffolk:
post-medieval gold finger-ring (2006 T639)
Date: Late 16th century
Discovery: Found by Mr D Kendall while metaldetecting
in November 2006.
Description: A finger-ring with flattened ‘D’ sectioned
band, now distorted, expanding smoothly at shoulders
to a flat circular bezel engraved with a coat of arms and
beaded border. A probable maker’s mark: A B is stamped
within a shield on the reverse. Diameter of bezel:
14.5mm; internal diameter: 28mm approx;
weight: 6.87g.
Discussion: The coat of arms is the quartered arms of
the Eden family of Sudbury and Ballingdon Hall and
the St Cle(e)re family of St Cleere Hall in St Osyth,
Essex. The quartering results from the marriage of
Sir Thomas Eden of The Friars, Sudbury (d.1614) to
Elizabeth St Cle(e)re (d.1573). The ring could have been
used by any of their male descendants, the most likely
being their son, Sir Thomas Eden of The Friars, Sudbury
and Ballingdon Hall, who was knighted in 1604, and
commissioned a large mural, dated 1615, in the north
chapel of All Saints church, Sudbury, which shows the
pedigree of the family and includes the quartered arms
shown on the ring. He died in 1616. The arms could
also have been used by Sir Thomas’s sons, St Clere Eden
who died in 1624, and John Eden of Ballingdon Hall, an
important Parliamentarian captured by the Royalists at
Chelmsford in 1648. He died in 1683, outliving his son
Thomas, at which the male line became extinct.
Disposition: Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service.
E MARTIN & E DARCH
717. boxted, Essex: post-medieval gold finger-ring
(2006 T480)
Date: 16th–early 17th century
Date: Found by Mr P Conlon while metal-detecting in
September 2006.
Description: A slightly distorted but complete gold
ring in the form of a band with a groove around its
circumference giving the impression of double bands
joined by a central plain band of gold. Each of the ‘two’
bands is decorated with a mirrored design of curlicues
and diagonal bands. Traces of white enamel are visible
on the exterior surface. On the inner face of the band is
a Latin inscription in capital letters: MEDIOCRIA FIRMA
followed by a possibly blundered letter. The inscription
translates as ‘The moderate is reliable’. Diameter:
23.1mm x 16.7mm; weight: 3.60g.
Discussion: The inscription relates to ideas of
Aristotle’s doctrine of the mean, which advises
choosing a middle path between extremes. This motto
was adopted by many families and was most famously
used by Francis Bacon, Lord Verulam (1561–1626) and
possibly his father Sir Nicholas, Lord Keeper of the
Great Seal. There is no evidence pointing to ownership
of this ring by the Bacon family. For a similar ring with
a different design and inscription, see Treasure Annual
Report 2002,
no. 153.
Disposition: Colchester and Ipswich Museums Service.
C McDONALD & N AWAIS-DEAN
718. bishop’s Waltham, hampshire: post-medieval
silver posy ring (2006 T133)
Date: 16th–17th century
Discovery: Found by Mr P Schorn while metaldetecting
in January 2005.
Description: The ring is broken and now appears flat,
the hoop with cross-hatched engraving on the exterior,
the interior inscribed: MY HART IS YOURS, with small
horizontal v-shaped nicks between each word.
Discussion: The exterior decoration may once have
contained enamel forming a chequerboard pattern.
The inscription was in use by the late 16th century
(according to Evans (1931) it is recorded in the
Harleian manuscript of 1596).
Disposition: Generously donated by finder and
landowner to Winchester Museums Service.
J A RUDOE
719. Kirkham area, Lancashire:
post-medieval gold posy ring (2005 T41)
Date: Second half of the 16th–17th century
Discovery: Found by Mr M Wolstencroft while metaldetecting
in January 2005.
Description: A thin fragile gold band with floral
ornament on the exterior comprising scrollwork
and small leaves. The interior is inscribed in capitals:
^SPES^MEA^DEVS^. Tiny traces of black enamel
survive in the two inner ^s.
Disposition: Lancashire Museums.
D BRUNS
720. Thakeham, West sussex: post-medieval
incomplete gold finger-ring (2006 T497)
Date: 16th–early 17th century
Discovery: Found by Mr A Gill while metal-detecting
in October 2006.
Description: An incomplete gold finger-ring, the
bezel hexagonal in shape. The front of the bezel has
been decorated with an engraved design comprising
an incised double ring with the legend: + NOSCE TE
IPSUM, the Latin for ‘Know thyself’, inside which is
an image of Death, in the form of a skull. The skull
is infilled with white enamel, the inscription and
background in black, and high relief floral scrolls on
the shoulders are partially infilled with blue enamel.
The shoulders of the ring are formed from high relief
floral scrolls. Engraved floral designs extend down from
the shoulders, to where the hoop has broken. Bezel
dimensions: 12.8mm x 16.2mm; weight: 7.75g.
Disposition: Horsham Museum.
L ANDREWS-WILSON
721. Collingbourne Kingston, Wiltshire:
post-medieval gold posy ring (2006 T457)
Date: 16th–early 17th century
Discovery: Found by Mr N Phillips while metaldetecting
in September 2006.
Description: A thin flat band, once enamelled,
decorated with a geometric pattern incorporating 4petal
motifs; inscribed inside in capitals:
I * AM * YOURS.
Discussion: There are closely similar examples in
the British Museum, for example 1961,12-2,130 and
also 459, which has a similar capital letter inscription
‘YOURS ONLI’ (Evans 1931).
Disposition: Wiltshire Heritage Museum, Devizes.
J A RUDOE
722. Edworth, bedfordshire:
post-medieval gold posy ring (2005 T489)
Date: Second half of the 17th century
Discovery: Found by Mr G Duff while metal-detecting
in October 2005.
Description: A gold hoop decorated on the exterior
with geometric ornament comprising quatrefoils
in ovals, and containing white enamel; the interior
inscribed in lower case: A mite for a million, with
unidentified mark, possibly I I.
Discussion: This inscription with ‘mite’ spelt ‘myte’
is recorded by Joan Evans in the 1596 Harleian
manuscript, and with this spelling on a ring given by
Isaac Walton to the Bishop of Winchester in 1683.
In the absence of an identified maker’s mark or date
letter, such rings are always difficult to date with any
accuracy, but in this instance the decoration suggests
a date in the 17th rather than the 18th century.
Disposition: Bedford Museum.
J A RUDOE
723. pavenham, bedfordshire:
post-medieval gold posy Ring (2005 T490)
Date: Second half of 17th century
Discovery: Found by Mr M Swannell while metaldetecting
in October 2005.
Description: A thin hoop finely decorated on the
exterior with a floral scroll containing significant
remains of green, white, blue and yellow enamel. The
interior inscribed in lower case Be not coy but cortious,
in black enamel.
Discussion: In the absence of an identified maker’s
mark or date letter, such rings are always difficult to
date with any accuracy, and there are few parallels for
the decoration on the exterior, but in this instance the
sentiment of the inscription suggests a date in the
17th century.
Disposition: Bedford Museum.
J A RUDOE
150 POST-MEDIEVAL POST-MEDIEVAL 151