SCABBARD

An incomplete cast copper alloy sword scabbard fitting or chape of Medieval to Post-Medieval date. The front face of the chape is preserved, but is missing the top left hand corner and the back plate due to old breaks. It has a convex front face with moulded decoration that has a rectangular open end that swells to a rounded base with central projecting knop. The open end of the chape has the remains of a crenellated top edge that is U-shaped in section but has been bent as a result of post-depositional damage. Remains of uncertain openwork decoration is apparent on the flat plate beneath. Below the openwork decoration is a moulded transverse ridge that separates the rectangular open end from the rounded terminal end. An openwork trefoil is visible at the centre of the terminal beneath the ridge, from which radiate moulded ridges giving a scalloped effect. At the very base of the chape is a projecting globular knop. The entire object measures 41.44mm in length, 33.29mm in width, 4.91mm in thickness, and weighs 11.73g. This chape is of Medieval to post-Medieval date. It belongs to Ward-Perkins' Type III chapes with parallels noted in the London Museum Medieval Catalogue (Fig. 87; Pl. 80, no. 12). This indicates a date in the late-15th to 16th centuries AD for the current example.