Inquest into Tudor coin hoard and 17th century locket found in Shropshire
News from Shropshire’s finds liaison officer
Lost within the coverage of the amazing piano hoard of gold sovereigns, which has dominated the treasure news of late, Mr Ellery, HM Coroner for Shropshire, held two other treasure inquests on 16 March 2017.
These investigated the finding of a Tudor coin hoard from Ludlow South, and a 17th century locket from Grete, Shropshire. These treasure cases were reported through the Portable Antiquities Scheme having been found by responsible metal detecting within south Shropshire.
The Ludlow South Hoard
This small hoard was found by three metal detecting friends on land south of Ludlow during 2015. The hoard is relatively small in nature with 20 coins being recovered. The youngest (newest) coin dating 1561 early in Elizabeth I reign. Interestingly there are coins within the group of Henry VIII and all of his children; Edward VI, Mary, and Elizabeth I. This reflects the tumultuous effects of having four monarchs within 11 years. There are also some very well preserved shillings of Mary and her husband Philip of Spain showing them facing each other separated by a crown. The hoard has a face value of 14 shillings (or the equivalent of a labourer’s salary for around three weeks).
Peter Reavill, finds liaison officer, British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme, said:
“Hoards such as these are not uncommon and this example being found outside the historic town of Ludlow is evidence of its rich and powerful past. Ludlow was an important place in the 16th century, being a royal centre (Prince Arthur, 1st son of Henry VIII died in Ludlow castle in 1502). Such small caches as these are probably either purse losses – or possible secretly stashed money deliberately hidden and never recovered.”
The 17th Century Pendant, Greete, south Shropshire
The small pendant is amazingly well preserved being made from several sheets of thin silver plate soldered and crimped together to create a heart shaped locket. It is very small being only around 2cm high and wide. The front face is engraved with three flowers which have been gilded, whilst the reverse has the inscription YOURS OR NOT MINE which is a play on the Forget-me-not (flowers on the front) yours or not mine owne (a saying from the early 17th century). The original contents of the locket are lost, although it may have originally held a lock of hair or other lovers’ keepsake.
Peter Reavill, finds liaison officer, British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme, said:
“Unlike the hoard above – this is an intensely personal find, a gift between lovers linking us to the earlier part of the 17th century probably before the bloodshed and upheaval of the English Civil War. The loss of such a find would potentially have been mourned. The pendant has been kept safe in the Shropshire soil for almost 400 years and it is through finds like these we come closest to our ancestors who loved and lost just like we do.
Shropshire Museums have expressed an interest in acquiring the find for the people of Shropshire – with the hope that it will be displayed in the newly refurbished Ludlow Museum at the towns Buttercross building. Now the find has been declared treasure – it will be valued by the Governments Treasure Valuation Committee and the museum will be given a period of grace to raise the relevant funds. These monies will be paid to both the finder and landowner as a reward under the Treasure Act (1996).”
Mary McKenzie, acting museums and Archives manager, Shropshire Council, said of the finds:
“We are incredibly lucky to live in such a rich, diverse and historically important county where finds like these are brought in to tell the stories of our shared past. We have managed to acquire a number of treasure finds for the people of Shropshire in the past and dependant on funding look forward to displaying these so everyone can enjoy them for years to come.”
Lottie James, chair, Friends of Ludlow Museum, said:
“We are always delighted when Peter Reavill, our Finds Officer, gets in touch because it means something of interest has been found. We are always keen to be involved early in the process so that we can consider how to fund raise, should the item be of interest to the Museum Service. The Tudor coins and pendant are just the type of find that excite our membership and we look forward to supporting the museum service in their acquisition.”
Ludlow Museum has a number of important treasures on permanent display including:
The South Shropshire Ring
The Dinham Pommel
Bitterley Hoard
More information and images of the Coin Hoard (used with permission of British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme) can be found here.
Pendant (again used with permission of British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme) can be found here.
More information about PAS and Treasure can be found here:
More Information on Ludlow Museum can be seen here.
For more information, please contact:
Peter Reavill – Finds Liaison Officer (Shropshire and Herefordshire)
Portable Antiquities Scheme
Email: peter.reavill@shropshire.gov.uk
Tel: 01743 254748
Web: http://finds.org.uk
Twitter: PAS in the Marches @PeterReavill
