Press Releases
Nine Treasure finds from North-East Wales declared Treasure
Date:
2024-04-29Nine treasure finds spanning from the Late Bronze Age to the seventeenth century were declared treasure on Tuesday 30 April 2024 by the Assistant Coroner for North Wales (East & Central), Ms. Kate Robertson.
A hoard of forty-one silver coins (Treasure Case 21.42) of William III (1694-1702) were discovered by David Moss, David Chennell and Michael Bradley on 16 and 17 October 2021, while metal-detecting on a field in Llanfair Talhaiarn Community, Conwy. The scattered hoard includes eight silver shillings and two joined groups of twenty-one and twelve silver sixpences. The two joined groups of coins had been heated and had partly fused together, probably during stubble burning activity on the land.
Conwy Culture Centre has expressed an interest in acquiring this hoard for their collection after it has been independently valued by via the Treasure Valuation Committee.
Michael Bradley, who discovered the first fused stack of coins, said:
“I was shaking with excitement when I realised what I’d found. I then dug up another stack of 12 coins, which fitted perfectly to the first stack. I was overjoyed. Dave [Moss]’s coins were stunning. He kept digging them up signal after signal. Then David [Chennell] came over with his stack and we were all celebrating.”
A Late Bronze Age to earliest Iron Age hoard (Treasure Case 23.43) was discovered by Ronan Dyke on 1 and 17 August 2023, while metal-detecting on farmland in Llandegla Community, Denbighshire. Included in the hoard are two bronze tanged-chisels and a bronze ring-headed pin. The chisels once had wooden, bone or antler handles and were woodworking tools. The slender pin with circular head once secured an item of dress, such as a cloak or tunic. The hoard was buried, probably as a small offering, around 900-600 BC.
Denbighshire Museums Service has expressed an interest in acquiring this hoard for their collection after it has been independently valued by via the Treasure Valuation Committee.
Adam Gwilt, Senior Curator for Prehistory at Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, said:
“This discovery is a very interesting small hoard containing specialist tools and a personal dress ornament, which are over 2,600 years old. It was probably buried as part of a religious offering or gift to the gods or goddesses. The appropriate place selected was on a small rocky elevation beside the River Alyn. A number of other hoards and significant Bronze Age finds have been made along the course of this river.”
A group of eleven silver coins of Tudor and Stuart date (Treasure Case 21.50) was found by Robert Barratt on 21st November 2021 and 5 April 2022, while metal-detecting on farmland in Llangynhafal Community, Denbighshire. The coins range in date from 1553-1636, including five silver coins of Mary (1553-1554), a silver coin of Philip and Mary (1554-1558), three silver coins of Elizabeth I (1558-1603) and a silver coin of Charles I (1625-1649). This group of coins was probably a purse group lost around 1636.
Denbighshire Museums Service has expressed an interest in acquiring this coin group for their collection after it has been independently valued by via the Treasure Valuation Committee.
A sixteenth- to seventeenth-century posy-ring of gold and enamel (Treasure Case 22.08) was discovered by Eric Becker on 20th January 2022, while metal detecting on a field in Ruthin Community, Denbighshire. The finger ring has a repeating pattern of flowers and foliage, inlaid with black enamel. The inner face of the hoop has a motto If worthy none So happy in italic script, a personal expression of love.
Denbighshire Museums Service has expressed an interest in acquiring this finger-ring for their collection after it has been independently valued by via the Treasure Valuation Committee.
A medieval silver annular brooch (Treasure Case 22.09) was discovered by Graham Allinson on 29th January 2022, while metal detecting on a field in Llanarmon-yn-Iâl Community, Denbighshire. The brooch has a narrow silver frame with grooves inlaid with black niello and the pin has a lozenge-shaped cross-section. This particular style of brooch may be dated to the thirteenth- or fourteenth-century AD.
Denbighshire Museums Service has expressed an interest in acquiring this brooch for their collection after it has been independently valued by via the Treasure Valuation Committee.
A medieval gold and enamel finger-ring (Treasure Case 22.14) was discovered by Malcolm Shepherd on 13th February 2022, while metal-detecting on a field in Llanynys Community, Denbighshire. The ring is decorated with white enamelled pentafoils and green enamel inlaid sprigs. A partially legible inscription in French and in Black Letter script is also visible on the external band surface representing an expression of love and betrothal. The style, text and motto dates this finger-ring to the fifteenth-century.
Denbighshire Museums Service has expressed an interest in acquiring this gold ring for their collection after it has been independently valued by via the Treasure Valuation Committee.
A silver thimble of seventeenth-century date (Treasure Case 21.52) was discovered by Wayne Jones on 16th February 2020, while metal detecting on a field in Halkyn Community, Flintshire. The thimble has the motto Harber the harmless followed by the initials of the owner EI inscribed onto a plain band around the bottom circumference. The thimble has two opposing oval panels, one being inscribed with the portrait of a man with flowing hair, moustache and beard, an unusual feature. The other, with a skull with an hourglass above it, was intended as a reminder of the inevitability of death.
Amgueddfa Cymru has expressed an interest in acquiring this thimble for their collection after it has been independently valued by via the Treasure Valuation Committee.
A medieval silver-gilt plaque (Treasure Case 22.50) was discovered by Lee Sanson on 1 October 2022, while metal-detecting on farmland in Higher Kinnerton Community, Flintshire. The plaque, in five fragments, depicts a male figure in naturalistic style, with a sceptre in his right hand, resting on his shoulder. The decoration is created in the repoussé style and the man probably represents a religious or regal figure. This decorative plaque may have fitted onto a reliquary box or have been sewn onto a fabric backing. Similar stylistic parallels suggest this plaque is medieval, dating to the mid-twelfth to mid-thirteenth centuries AD.
Amgueddfa Cymru has expressed an interest in acquiring this decorative plaque for their collection after it has been independently valued by via the Treasure Valuation Committee.
A medieval silver-gilt stirrup-shaped finger-ring (Treasure Case 23.47) was discovered by Ronan Dyke on 30 August 2023, while metal-detecting on farmland in Llandegla Community, Flintshire. The finger-ring has decorated shoulders and a recessed bezel for a gemstone, which is now missing.
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