Rights Holder: Royal Institution of Cornwall
CC License: 
Image use policy
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
SPUR
Unique ID: CORN-31705A
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation 
Incomplete cast copper alloy spur with a short neck that is circular in section, and decorated with one thick moulded collar, 5 mm thick, and one thin collar, 1 mm thick, between two concentric grooves. The neck then extends towards a short straight-sided rowel box in two parts with rounded terminals. The rowel is missing but the remains of the iron pin that would have held it in place can be seen as iron oxide on both of the terminals. Where the neck is attached to the spur bar, the bar is widened and flanges above the neck, to accommodate an engraved linear lozenge that surrounds the neck, creating a border witin the bar. Where the lozenge tapers on either side, the bar then also narrows as it curves away in both directions to form the sides. The sides of the spur are plain and semi-circular in section, having been broken in antiquity, so that the majority are missing, including the terminals. There are areas of black lacquer that would have been used to seal and protect the copper alloy beneath. Read (1988) illustrates a similar example on page 157, no.1052, which is dated from c.1600-1675. Read (2001) illustrates a similar neck and short rowel box on page 65, fig.41, no.502, which is dated from the 17th century.
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Middle
Period from: POST MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1600
Date to: Circa AD 1700
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Length: 52 mm
Height: 20 mm
Width: 23 mm
Thickness: 4 mm
Weight: 28.09 g
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 1st June 2014 - Monday 30th June 2014
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Materials and construction
Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Spatial metadata
Region: South West (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Cornwall (Unitary Authority)
District: Cornwall (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: St. Stephen-in-Brannel (Civil Parish)
Spatial coordinates
4 Figure: SW9652
Four figure Latitude: 50.33252323
Four figure longitude: -4.86780214
1:25K map: SW9652
1:10K map: SW92SE
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
References cited
| Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Read, B. | 1995 | History Beneath our Feet (1995) | Ipswich | Anglia Publishing | 157, | No.1052 | |
| Read, B. | 2001 | Metal artefacts of antiquity: A catalogue of small finds from specific areas of the United Kingdom | Langport | Portcullis Publishing | 65, fig.41, | o.502 |
Similar objects
Find number: CORN-8D9EA2
Object type: SPUR
Broadperiod: POST MEDIEVAL
Fragment of a cast copper alloy spur with a moulded short neck, oval in section, and decorated with one thicker and one thinner collar. The ne…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: CORN-1D75F3
Object type: SPUR
Broadperiod: POST MEDIEVAL
Incomplete cast copper alloy spur with a moulded short neck, circular in section, and decorated with one thicker and one thinner moulded coll…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: CORN-8E75B3
Object type: SPUR
Broadperiod: POST MEDIEVAL
Incomplete cast copper alloy spur, missing its attachment terminals on its bent shanks, which would have attached to the heel of the boot. Th…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Timeline of associated dates
About Us
About our Site
Find us
The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG.
T: +44(0) 20 73238618