During the 13th and 14th centuries a fashion for decorative metalwork on the horse harness of the well-to- do saw widespread use of armorial decorations. These took the form of individual pendants and more elaborate sets which included miniature banners, pendants, mounts and bosses (Ward Perkins, 1940; Ashley, 2002). Elements of these are widely recorded …more
Whilst the vast majority of metal objects recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme (www.finds.org.uk) come from detectorists, every so often a more unusual method of discovery results in a find coming our way from people out enjoying the countryside. A good example is this socketed axehead (SUR-F51EA5) dating to the late Bronze Age (c 1100-800 …more
Surrey is a region which during the Iron Age (c800 BC – AD 43) sat on major fault lines of tribal identity, with powerful groups such as the Atrebates (Hampshire), Regni (Sussex) and Catuvellauni (north of the Thames) variously incorporating bits of the county area into their territory as their power waxed and waned. To …more
The schedule of weekend drop-in finds sessions (typically held from 11am until 1pm) in Surrey for the rest of 2019 is as follows: Saturday September 14th – Guildford House Gallery, High St. Guildford.Sunday September 15th – Surrey Arch Society Research Centre, Abinger (as part of their open day).Saturday October 5th – Addlestone Community Centre, Addlestone. …more
The Portable Antiquities Scheme provides a unique avenue for documenting small finds which, although not associated with any archaeological context, can still yield important new information about local and national history purely on their own merits. One such find recently recorded by the Surrey FLO, is SUR-F847F3 – a papal bulla or lead document seal …more
A silver medieval vervel from Surrey. Image Copyright: Surrey County Council. Licence: CC-BY A rare example of an inscribed silver medieval hawking ring or vervel has recently been recorded from Surrey. This little object (SUR-44916D) was tied to the legs of a hawk and used to connect the bird to a leash which tethered it …more
One of the most important and lasting legacies of the Portable Antiquities Scheme is the way in which it has transformed our understanding of the very existence of a wide range of artefacts which were previously entirely or almost entirely unknown in Britain. A great example of this achievement is our knowledge of the distribution …more
One of the most interesting finds recorded from Surrey by the Portable Antiquities Scheme during summer 2018 was an Anglo-Saxon spearhead, SUR-0EC561. This object was recovered by magnet fishing from the confluence of the Bourne or Hoe stream with the Abbey Stream and river Wey adjacent to Newark Priory, Pyrford (TQ0457). Early Medieval iron spearhead. …more
The Portable Antiquities Scheme doesn’t often record items from the last century, except when they turn out to be something quite special, or have considerable historic interest. One such item from Surrey which was recorded recently, is a rare example of an object which tells a story of the patriotic fervour and intense social pressures …more
Here you can keep up to date with news from the team at Surrey. Find out about what our volunteers are working on and learn about interesting finds from the county.
