February | 2011 | Portable Antiquities Scheme blogs

Recent Treasure Finds from Shropshire

Treasure Inquest in Wem, Shropshire.

28^th February 2011

Mr John Ellery, Coroner for North and Mid Shropshire held an inquest today into three separate cases of Treasure recently discovered in North Shropshire. Unusually all these cases related to discoveries of coin hoards dating from the 13^th – 17^th Centuries.

A further discovery at Baschurch, Shropshire.

The initial Baschurch Hoard was reported in 2007, being declared as Treasure in 2009. The Baschurch totalled more than 190 coins from the reign of Henry III. They were deposited in a leather bag sometime after 1265 AD. The hoard was placed on the headland of a field and modern ploughing has spread some of the coins into the adjacent field. The original findspot was excavated in 2007 and all the coins from the main group were recovered and declared treasure. Shropshire County Museum Service acquired the hoard late in 2010 after receiving grants from The V&A Purchase Fund, The Headily Trust and a generous donation from both the Friends of Shrewsbury Museum and The Shropshire Archaeological and History Society.

Mr Ellery heard today of recent discoveries of further groups of medieval pennies from the Baschurch Hoard (2008-T774). This group under inquest represent three significant finds of medieval pennies from the site during 2008 and 2009 totalling a further 35 coins. Dr Barrie Cook (Curator of Medieval and Early Modern Coinage at the British Museum) in his report for the coroner wrote:

All of the new finds are completely consistent with the original ones, which – since the hoard was so unusual – make it certain that they all form part of one single deposit. The highly unusual aspects of the earlier groups are all in evidence among the newer finds: the dominance of Shrewsbury mint coins … and the same disproportionate representation of the four Shrewsbury moneyers [Nicole, Lorenz, Ricard and Peris]. …

All the new finds confirm the impression of the earlier finds in that The hoard probably represents a core of material initially acquired straight from the Shrewsbury mint and exchange… That the find-spot of the hoard is so close to Shrewsbury itself, might suggest that this portion might well have remained in the possession of one original owner. New coins were subsequently added to the Baschurch hoard, either occasionally or else in one batch during the issues of class Vg (1258-65).’

The Baschurch find as a whole, therefore, consists of coins of good silver that would have been in circulation together in the mid to late 1260s. The preponderance of Shrewsbury mint issues makes it essentially impossible that the coins represent anything other than a savings hoard of some kind, since it bears little similarity to the general currency of mid 13^th century England.

Shropshire County Museum Service are hoping to acquire this further group of coins for display at the Music Hall. The original find of coins is currently being conserved and a small selection of these will be displayed at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery (Rowley’s House) in the near future.

The third and largest group of coins

Full records, images and further information on the Baschurch Hoard can be found at:

http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/431149

http://finds.org.uk/blogs/themarches/2010/08/03/medieval-shrewsbury-coin-declared-treasure/

A late medieval coin hoard from the Oswestry Area.

Hoard of Groats

This second coin hoard was discovered in the Oswestry area by metal detector user Marie Hunt in April 2010 (2010- T321). In this group there were 21 coins with a combined value of 6 shillings and a penny. This most probably represents a large purse loss or possibly a small deliberately hidden savings hoard. In its day it would have represents almost 4 weeks wages for a skilled craftsman. Again Dr Cook examined the coins at the British Museum and in his report for the coroner wrote:

Three denominations are present: 17 examples of the groat of fourpence, one half-groat and three pennies … Most of the coins are from the reign of Edward III, with the three pennies earlier in date, from the coinage of Edward I and II, from after the re-coinage of 1279. There is a single coin of Henry V (1413-22). After 1279 there was no general re-coinage in medieval England, so the presence of this range of coins in a single deposit made in the 15^th century would not in itself be unusual

However, the weight of the coins present gives an interesting picture. Although there was no re-coinage between the reigns of Edward III and Henry V, there was a reduction in the weight standard in 1412 from one based on the penny of 18 grains to one based on the penny of 15 grains. Silver coins circulating after that date are usually clipped down to the new level, yet, although several of the groats of Edward III in this group are indeed clipped, the group nonetheless has a mean weight of 3.99g, 85% of the pre-1412 standard for the groat, but 102% of the post-1412 standard. It looks as though the group represents an assembly of material withdrawn from currency relatively soon after the 1412 reform, perhaps quite early in Henry V’s reign, before the full impact of the change had been absorbed within the currency. It is the case that the bulk of Henry V’s silver coinage was produced between 1413 and 1417. An alternative is that it represents a small selected group of relatively good weight coins. Either explanation is conceivable.

The Oswestry coins are all of good silver and were likely to have been deposited together on one occasion, probably c. 1415.

The Powysland Museum, Welshpool has expressed an interest in acquiring these coins for display.

Full records, images and further information on the Oswestry Hoard can be found at:

http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/431153

http://www.powys.gov.uk/index.php?id=2117&L=0

http://www.finds.org.uk/medievalcoins/articles/page/valuesedwardIII

A Coin hoard from the reign of Charles I from the Oswestry Area.

The final group of coins under inquest was again found by Marie Hunt in July 2010. They were found in the Oswestry Area and were examined by Dr Cook at the British Museum. They are unusual in that they include a silver gilt medal commemorating the marriage of Charles I. In his report for the coroner Dr Cook wrote:

I have examined a group of silver items reported found at Oswestry, Shropshire. Six of these are coins of the English monarchs Elizabeth I, James I, and Charles I and consist of two sixpences of Elizabeth, two pennies of James and two pennies of Charles … The wear and clipping visible on the coins of Elizabeth makes it probable that they had experienced considerable currency. This would certainly be compatible with the idea that they represent 17^th century deposits: huge quantities of Elizabethan coinage circulated throughout the 17^th century, sixpences above all. It is therefore likely that the Oswestry coins represent a single body of material deposited on one occasion, probably in the early 1630s. The group is also likely to have included the silver medal, since its date is a good match to this scenario. It is not normal to find medals with coins in this way, but a possible explanation is that this small one served as a pocket piece, carried around for luck, as a symbol of loyalty or as even a marital memento, since it commemorates a marriage.

The silver-gilt medal commemorates the marriage of King Charles I to the French princess Henrietta Maria, 1625. These were struck and issued in large quantities. The obverse (head) depicts the portraits of Charles I and Henrietta Maria, under rays from heaven, whereas the reverse shows Cupid with flowers and references the union of the roses of England and lilies of France. The inscription is a modified quote from Virgil’s Aeneid FVNDIT.AMOR.LILIA.MIXTA.ROSIS./.1625. (Love pours out lilies mingled with roses)

Again it is hoped that will acquire the coin group for display in the Powysland Museum, Welshpool.

Full records, images and further information on the Oswestry Hoard can be found at:

http://www.finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/431164

http://www.powys.gov.uk/index.php?id=2117&L=0

More information about the Portable Antiquities Scheme and Treasure as well as Medieval and Post Medieval coins can be found at

http://www.finds.org.uk/treasure

http://www.finds.org.uk/medievalcoins

Peter Reavill

February 2011

This weekend, for the third year out of the last four, the British Museum plays host to the annual Current Archaeology Conference. The conference is well-known for the breadth of topics covered and the diverse array of talented speakers taking part simultaneously across two lecture theatres. It also bestows its own unique set of reader-chosen awards, and the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) featured heavily in those given out this year.

Saturday’s papers featured several appearances by members of the PAS, the co-hosting organisation. Rob Collins, Finds Liaison Officer for the North East region, served as co-chair for the popular morning session on Hadrian’s Wall. Roger Bland, Head of the Portable Antiquities Scheme, chaired the specialist afternoon session on recent finds of Treasure, which saw talks given by the PAS’s Sam Moorhead (on the Frome Hoard), Ian Richardson (on the Hackney Double Eagle coins) and Laura McLean and Stephanie White (on the Burnham on Crouch Bronze Age Hoard). The British Museum’s Nick Ashton (Dept. of P&E) also delivered a fantastic account of the current work on the evidence for Britain’s oldest humans at Happisburgh, Norfolk, and Ian Leins (Dept. of C&M) anchored a prominent session on Britain’s Iron Age Celts.

Throughout the day, the tireless work of conference facilitator Philippa Walton kept things running smoothly and on time. In the large foyer of the British Museum’s Clore centre, amongst the collection of book and package-tour retailers, and the various other heritage advocacy groups, Wendy Scott, Adam Daubney, Stephanie Smith, Ros Tyrell, Danielle Wootton and Erica Darch manned the PAS desk and handed out numerous flyers and copies of annual reports to interested visitors.

The highlight of this first day’s events was the handing out of the Current Archaeology awards for the most outstanding work of the last year. The PAS made out fantastically well against stiff competition, with Sam Moorhead taking home the gilded trowel for Archaeologist of the Year for his work as a National Finds Advisor on Roman Coinage and in particular for his involvement in work on the Frome Hoard and for his publication of the popular ‘AD410: The Year that Shook Rome’. Sam’s acceptance speech attempted to deflect attention away from himself and he claimed his role with the PAS automatically exposed him to the type of popular interest stories that most archaeologists would not have the privilege of working on, but those voting had already taken that into account when making their decision. Sam also graciously led everyone in a toast to our recently departed colleague, the irreplaceable medieavalist Geoff Egan. The Excavation of the Frome Hoard received an award itself, for ‘Rescue Excavation of the Year’ and Sam Moorhead accepted that trophy on behalf of colleagues Anna Booth, Katie Hinds. Steve Minnit and the finder of the hoard, Dave Crisp.

Taking advantage of a unique opportunity to capture several hundred archaeologists together in one space on a Saturday evening, the organisers of the Current Archaeology conference treated all those present to a once-in-a-decade appearance by the (in)famous rock band ‘Timothy Darvill and the Standing Stones’. Displaying a surprising range of musical knowledge, the group (led by early morning presenter and lead guitarist Professor Timonthy Darvill of Bournemouth University) crooned away to songs from some of the industry’s best-known talents, from Elvis Prestly to CCR, the Beatles to the Rolling Stones, Blondie to the Kaiser Chiefs. What better way to end the evening than to pogo along with fan Julian Richards to ‘I Predict a Riot’? (Yes, we are geeks…)

Monthly Archives: February 2011

Three Coin Hoards from North Shropshire

PAS shines at Current Archaeology 2011