SPUR

Medieval to Post Medieval (possibly 17^th century) spur fragment: The copper alloy spur, which has been cast is fragmentary, only the heel and rowel protrusion remains, the arms are broken, but not recently as the patina covers these terminals. The arms have a slender 'D' shaped section, and in plan the arms form an asymmetrical C-shape. Integral to the exterior edge, there is a protrusion which originally held the rowel. Around the protrusion there is a double-stranded groove, obliquely angled either side. The protrusion is moulded with a wide collar at the junction of the arms and then a fine linear groove. The terminal of the protrusion is divided into two with a slot in between. The terminals of the protrusions bend towards each other slightly, have a perforation and in profile are curved downwards. The perforations are filled with an iron axis bar. The surface of the spur has a abraded mottled dark green-brown patina. It measures 37.15mm long from the terminal arm to the terminal of the rowel element, and is 36.78mm wide from each broken arm. It weighs 21.15g.

Ellis (1993) illustrates two spurs with moulded decoration on the terminals, Nos. 2 and 3 and these are dated to the 17th century. This is a possibility for the recorded example, but without the arm terminals, the date cannot be confirmed.

Ellis, B., 'The Spurs' in Ellis, P. 1993 Beeston Castle, Cheshire; Excavations by Lawrence Keen and Peter Hough, 1968-85 London: English Heritage and Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England.