1,100-year-old brooch found in Cheddar is declared as treasure

An early medieval silver disc brooch from between 800AD and 900AD, that was found in Cheddar, has been declared Treasure by a coroner at an inquest held this morning (August 4).

Its value has yet to be determined by the independent Treasure Valuation Committee. Detectorist Iain Sansome, from Cheddar, discovered the brooch while detecting on farmland in Cheddar on October 14 2020.

Mr Sansome immediately stopped detecting and contacted the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS), actions for which he has been be commended.

As a potential item of Treasure under the 1996 Treasure Act it was reported by PAS to Her Majesty's Coroner.

Led by the South West Heritage Trust, a follow-up investigation took place at the find site but no further significant discoveries were made.

The disc brooch, in what is known as Trewhiddle style named after the place in Cornwall where the first brooch of this kind was found, is 91mm in diameter, 1.93 mm thick and weighs 76.12g.

It features extremely detailed interlace decoration with animal forms, some of which are thought to be peacocks.

Peacocks are found on other early-medieval metal work and have religious and high-status overtones.

A significant group of six Trewhiddle brooches from Pentney in Norfolk was discovered in the late 1970s and is now in the British Museum. Finding such a brooch in Somerset is rare.

Dr Maria Kneafsey from the PAS said: "Although it is relatively common to find Roman brooches in Somerset, early medieval examples are rare.

"Such items were important symbols of wealth and high status, and may have been given as gifts to cement relationships between powerful individuals, including those with religious roles.

"The fact that no further significant objects were found suggests that the brooch was lost or discarded into water, rather than deliberately buried."

Mr Sansome said: "I've found a lot of important historical items in the few years I've been detecting, and have covered a lot of ground, but this find is in a different league.

"When I first saw the brooch I wasn't exactly sure what it was but I knew it was something special and stopped detecting immediately.

"It's a very rare find and the fact that the last person to handle it was probably someone of extreme importance and high status more than 1,000 years ago is just incredible. It really does make one wonder."

The value of the brooch will now be determined by the independent Treasure Valuation Committee.

The Museum of Somerset has expressed an interest in acquiring the brooch, with the money paid being split between the finder and the landowner.

Earlier find

Also heard by the senior Somerset coroner Tony Williams today was another find by Mr Sansome in Cheddar.

On August 23 2020, Mr Sansome discovered a late medieval to early post-medieval silver "fede" ring while metal detecting.

The ring, which features two clasped hands, dates from between 1200 and 1350, and is an example of a "fede" ring, which were used as love tokens.

It includes an inscription with is believed to translate to: "I am a token of love, do not give me away."

To be classed as treasure, a find has to be more than 300 years old and have a rare metals content above 10 per cent, and this was confirmed to be the case.

Therefore, the inquest was concluded with a ruling that the ring was treasure, and it will now be valued and, if sold to the Museum of Somerset who again expressed an interest in acquiring the treasure, the money will be split between the finder and the land owner.