During 2018, 432 finds were recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme as being found in Staffordshire. Out of these, 24 were classified as Treasure under the requirements of the Treasure Act 1996.
These 24 cases included 7 finger rings, 4 coin hoards, 2 mounts, a button, a spoon, a brooch, a bell and a strap end.
Here is a bit more information on 3 of those cases.
2018T903 LEIC-AB9BA6. An Early Medieval mount of ninth to tenth Centuries dating. This mount was identical to one found in 2016 (2016T913 LEIC-1DCF5E). Sue Brunnings (British Museum Curator) commented that:
The function of this object is uncertain. Several socketed zoomorphic terminals dating to the early medieval period are known, all fairly different in style. Those recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme Database or via the Treasure Act include: West Ilsley, West Berkshire (BERK-07A2A4, 2005 T167); Burton-in-Kendal area (LANCUM-E89D32, 2013 T17); Brant Broughton and Stragglethorpe, Lincolnshire (LIN-F0DD46); Frolesworth, Leicestershire (LEIC-B5B737); Barrowby, Lincolnshire (LIN-DA87D8); Lambeth, London (LON-EFCF31); and Kilham, East Yorkshire (Treasure Annual Report 2003, no. 129, 2003 T273). Some are interpreted as decorative fittings from the tips of drinking-horns although the current piece appears rather too small and narrow to have fulfilled that purpose. Its flat form also likens it to a series of artefacts known as ‘aestels’, which have been widely interpreted as manuscript pointers. A small number are in the form of animal’s heads, but are typically much more elaborate in nature, extensively decorated and made from gold.
“The decorative style of the terminal bears resemblance to the Trewhiddle style, dated to the ninth to early tenth centuries. Zoomorphic terminals on Trewhiddle style strap-ends bear very similar circular ears with containing chevron motifs, and panels of decoration on the brow. This provides a clue for dating.”
Sue Brunning adds that the discovery of a second, virtually identical, piece near the findspot of the original piece may be evidence that the two were a pair. This could hint towards a possible function, for instance as dress accessories perhaps attached to the ends of cords or laces, similar to a strap-end.
This case has been acquired by the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery.
2018T311 DENO-B87439, A post medieval signet finger of 17th Century dating. The setting is inscribed with the capital letters G and L set in between three candlesticks. The central candlestick is larger than its flanking candlesticks. All the candlesticks are stylistically the same, depicting a flat base, two large collars and five smaller collars and a socket, which holds the candle.
Phil Hughes (Finds Liaison Assistant) stated that: The use of capital letters, and the heavy design of the ring, indicates a dating of roughly 1600-1650. Other gold signet/seal rings of this date are found on the PAS database, for example 2014 T520 (DOR-2334D9), dated around 1600-1700.
The candlestick design on the bezel does not appear to be from a coat of arms, but was presumably a personal device used by the owner. The ring was found approximately 150m from Casterne Hall, and the owner, Mr Charles Hurt, reports ‘In 1670 my direct ancestors Nicholas Hurt and Elizabeth Lowe married, linking the estates of Casterne and Alderwasley in Derbyshire. The Lowes and their ancestors had been given Alderwasley by the King in the 13th Century. So one obvious candidate for the ‘L’ on the ring is Lowe. A son of Thomas Lowe of Alderwasley (d. 1415) was Geoffrey Lowe (d. 1451) but he would have been too early for the ring.’
The Potteries Museum withdrew from this acquisition so it has been returned to the finder.
2018T143 WMID-5AC3B1 An Early Medieval strap end with a rear hook attachment. Victoria Allnatt (FLO for West Staffordshire & South West Midlands) commented: This strap-end is one of a small but growing corpus with projections, lugs or hooks on their reverse. These have been collected and categorised by Green (2017). Usually the feature on the reverse was soldered on after the initial object was produced. Only a small number have integral attachments like this one, including PAS database GLO-8C25F2 (with a lug rather than a hook) and two others illustrated in Green (2017, p. 3, fig. 8), one of which has a hook. Green suggests the hook was added to strap-ends to make them more useful instead of being a purely decorative accessory. The hook allowed the straps to be tensioned, linked or held together. Green classifies these objects as strap-end hybrids, Hooked Type 1 with integral projections. Regular strap-ends similar to the present example, with zoomorphic terminal and occasionally with silver inlays, fall under Thomas’ (2003) Class A and have been dated to the ninth to tenth centuries.
The Potteries Museum and Art Gallery acquired this find.
A video summary of other Treasure cases from the West Midlands region is available to watch here
