16thC Tudor gold on silver cherub mount (left) - reported as treasure. Interesting to compare a similar example (right) we found in the first half of the season curently going through the treasure process.

1654 Will Anger of Clacton Essex hammered copper trade farthing

Ref Norweb 1139

1247 Henry III hammered silver voided long cross half penny

Moneyer Nicole of Canterbury

1119 King John hammered silver short cross penny - Class 5a

Obv HENRICVS REX

Rev RICARD ON NIC(OL

Moneyer Ricard of Lincoln mint

1413 -22 Henry V hammered silver penny - Pierced cross

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

1189-99 Richard 1st hammered silver short cross penny Class 4a

Obv HENRICVS REX

Rev fVLKE( ON LVND -Moneyer Fvlke of London mint

1341 Edward III hammered silver penny

Obv EDWAR ANGL DNS HYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/CAN/TOR - Canterbury mint

Cleaned up medieval seal matrix, the impression appears to be two birds mating ?

Legend *CREDE MICHI II

Roman bronze sent for ID

70BC Morini Celtic gold qtr stater - Sent to CCI for recording

1.44g,10.27mm

Tenn Brad sent me a picture of a 14thC John the Baptist medallion found in the river Thames and it matches exactly the pendant found by Bil Mark on the Roman hoard field, great find.

Medeival twisted wire gold ring - no hall marks

22.34mm, 2.73g

Roman 1st/2nd C silver coin as dug and 'cooking' to remove crust

Sent to Mark for provisional ID - still cooking it some more 2.84g,17.09mm

18.74mm, 5.62g

Outer Band - In memory of

Inner inscription - Anna C Round Ob 5th Ap 1822

Maker TM -18 carat Sheffield hallmark 1829

50 BC Celtic qtr stater sent to CCI for recording and ID - possible Early uninscribed British QC

13.36mm, 1.34g

Saxon stirrup strap mount - top fixing Type 2A

Similar to a design found at Swafield Norfolk

1341 Edward III hammered silver florin penny -Cross 3

Obv EDWAR ANGL DNS HYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

1247 Henry III hammered silver voided half penny - Class 3a

Obv HENRICVS REX

Rev HEN/RIO/NLV/NDE Moneyer Henri of London mint

1180 Henry II hammered silver short cross half penny Class 1b

Obv HENRICVS REX

1199 John hammered silver short cross penny- Class 5c

Obv HENRICVS REX

Rev WALTEB ON.LVND Moneyer Walter of London

Probably one of the smallest hammered silver coins you can find, 1/3rd the weight of a Medieval silver farthing

0.17g, 9.5mm

1341 Edward III hammered silver florin penny -Cross 3

Obv EDWAR ANGL DNS HYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/CAN/TOR - Canterbury mint

1341 Edward III hammered silver florin penny -Cross 3

Obv EDWAR ANGL DNS HYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

1341 Edward III hammered silver florin penny -Cross 3

Obv EDWAR ANGL DNS HYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

Interesting Roman silver forgery sent for ID

2.36g, 17.33mm

4thC Roman bronze sent for ID

1247 Henry III hammered silver voided penny - Class 4ab

Obv HENRICVS REX III

Rev NIC/OLE/ONC/ANT - Moneyer Nicole of Canterbury mint

Early Roman silver coin partially 'cooked' send off to Mark Lehman for ID 16.50mm, 2.57g

Venetian Soldino issued by Doge Michele Steno (1400-1413).
Obv: MICHAEL STEN' DVX (Michele Steno, Doge). Doge standing left, holding standard.
Rev: S MARCVS VENETI (Saint Mark of Venice). Winged and nimbate lion of Saint Mark facing.

Doge standing left, holding banner, * / m in right field

Pilgrim ampullae - holly water bottle made of lead 12th to 15thC, Scallop shell type with merchant shield on reverse

These ampoule were brought from pilgrimage places as a souvenir

Mitchiner suggests that many ampullae were used in the annual springtime ’Blessing the Fields’ ceremony, in which the Holy Water they contained was sprinkled on the ground to give prayer for a good harvest. Having served this purpose, Mitchiner suggests that the ampullae were discarded. Others have suggested that the ampullae were buried along with their contents for a similar purpose.

1279 Edward 1st hammered silver penny - Cross potent - Class 10ab

Obv EDWAR ANGL DNS HYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

1341 Edward III hammered silver florin penny -Cross 3

Obv EDWAR ANGL DNS HYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

1341 Edward III hammered silver florin penny -Cross 3

Obv EDWR ANGL DNS HYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

1426-44 Henry VIII hammered silver sovereign penny - 2nd coinage

Obv King enthroned holding orb and sceptre - TW by shield

ArchBp Wolsey - Durham mint

1413-22 Henry V hammered silver half penny - broken annulet to left and pellet to right by crown

Note The pellets seem to have been produced by converting broken annulets on dies. They may appear whole or 'nicked' depending on the accuracy and force with which they are applied within the annulet

Obv HENRICVS REX

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

1483 Edward V hammered silver groat - Halved sun and rose mint mark

Obv EDWA ***

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

Monster silver find - our first ever large denomination Charles II silver coin

1660-85 - Charles II milled silver half crown (30 pence) 3rd issue

4thC Roman bronze sent for ID

Cracking condition Roman bronze sent for ID 19.27, 1.92g

Roman silver coin with green crust - cooking it to remove crud - sent for ID 16.23mm, 2.95g

As dug

Starting to 'cook' it

Roman silver coin - cooking to remove green crud - sent to mark Lehman for provisional ID 19.77mm

Large Roman 1st/2ndC AS sent for ID

Large Roman 1st/2ndC AS sent for ID

1247 Henry III hammered silver voided penny - Class 2b

Obv HENRICVS REX III

Rev ION/ONS/EDM/VND- Moneyer Ion of Bury St Edmunds mint

Stunningly beautiful - Romano/British bronze razor back pig/hog offering ? red enamelled eyes - 65.56mm L x 39.9mm H 148g

Interesting Edward cut half with a legend ending in Rex not in the book - needs more research

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

Roman silver coin forgery - you can see clearly the copper core has seeped through

Although "fourree" silver-over-copper denarii are not terribly uncommon, they tend to be seen more in the Republic and early Imperial era, however.  Those silver foil-wrapped copper cores, the foil sealed to the core with flux and the whole package struck with dies was the "standard" for counterfeits - ie: fakes made to deceive and pass current as good silver denarii for a long time.

1890 9 carat gold ring - Birmingham hall mark - Marker JM

3.36g, 18.95mm

Man's gold signet ring - inscribed LW

Maker P&G 9 carat Date letter W - still working on the date

1247 Henry III hammered silver voided half penny

Rev DA/VID/

1279 Edward 1st hammered silver penny -Cross Potent

Obv EDWR ANGL DNS HYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

1351-2 Edward III hammered silver groat - Cross 1 Series D

Closed C & E's

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

1216 Henry III hammered silver short cross half penny

Obv HENRICVS REX

Rev ** RI.ON.C **** Moneyer Henri Canterbury mint

1341 Edward III hammered silver florin penny -Cross 3

Obv EDWR ANGL DNS HYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

1205 Willam 1 The Lion - Scottish hammered silver penny

Obv WILAM

Rev HUE WALTER

Moneyer Walter of Perth, Edinburgh and Roxburgh mints

Another silver Roman with green grunge' growing on it - sent for ID

18.65mm, 2.57g

1247 Henry III hammered silver voided long cross cut half penny

Obv HENRICVS REX III

Obv HEN/RIO/NLV/NDE - Moneyer Henri of London mint

1341 Edward III hammered silver florin penny

Obv EDWAR ANGL DNS HYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/CAN/TOR Canterbury mint

4thC Roman bronze sent for ID

Medieval gold ring - inscribed LUV - reported as treasure to museum

0.74g, 16.74mm

Cooked Roman silver sent for ID 1.43g, 17.71mm

Roman silver coin sent for ID

1.85g, 19.11mm

Tiny 1485 Henry VII hammered silver halfpenny - rev cross fourchee - wide hair bust - Type 3 single arched crown

Obv HENRIC DI GRA REX A

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

Great find, known obverse die error

1327 Edward III hammered silver penny

Obv ER ANGL ****

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

Roman lead token

Obv Roman bust

Rev One figure standing - one seated

1215 Henry III hammered silver short cross half penny

London mint

1180 Henry II hammered silver short cross half penny - Class 1b

Obv HENRICVS REX

Rev * RAVL.ON ** - Moneyer Ravl

4thC Roman bronze coin - sent for ID

either Constans or Constantius II - the reverse type, VICTORIAE DD AVGG Q NN - 2 victories facing each other holding wreaths - was only struck in 347 & 348 so it's a good type for dating a site.  The obverse is too badly compromised for me to tell from the photo whether it's Constans or Constantius - nothng particularly special about either one, they were brothers and sons of Constantine I "The Great".  Constans would live another 2 years and Constantius another 15 or so, but they were petty much "interchangeable" at this point in time, except that one dealt with the western part and the other the eastern part of the Empire.

Mark

Roman lead token

Obv Roman bust

Unusual Roman bronze sent for ID

20.75mm,3.22g

1471 Edward IV hammered silver groat

Obv EDWARD DI GRA REX ANGL Z FRANC

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

Best condition Roman silver I have ever seen dug- next to fresh water spring ! Probably an offering

Sent off for ID

16.3mm,3.39g

Superb find 19thC 14th Regiment of foot button

India Waterloo

1461 Edward IV hammered silver groat-First reign -Initial mark Long cross fitchee

Trefoils on cusps except above crown

Obv EDWARD DI GRA REX ANGL Z FRANC

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

1249 Alexander Scottish hammered silver half penny

Moneyer Robert

1666 Giles Tayspill of Colchester Essex hammered copper trade farthing

Ref Norweb 1227a

1361-1369 Edward III treaty period hammered silver penny

Obv EDWARD ANGL DNS HYB

Rev CIVI/TAS/CAN/TOR Canterbury mint

1422 Henry VI hammered silver penny - York mint - Archiepiscopal issue

Quatrefoil with pellet at centre of reverse cross

1641-3 Charles 1st hammered silver penny - mintmark 2 dots

1247 Henry III hammered silver voided long cross penny - Class 5a

Rev ION/ONS/EDM/VND - Moneyer Ion - Bury St Edmunds mint

1279 Edward 1st hammered silver penny - Cross potent

Rev CIVI/TAS/CAN/TOR - Canterbury mint

1361-69 Edward III hammered gold qtr noble - treaty period - quatrefoil in centre:cross over shield

1.94g, 19.10 mm

William IV, Prince of Orange-Nassau (1 September 1711 – 22 October 1751), born Willem Karel Hendrik Friso, was the first hereditary stadtholder of the Netherlands.

Obv PRINS VAN ORANGE & NASSAU 3rd May 1747

Medieval badges Ref Mitchiner p244 939 - 941

'A badge for a Knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in bronze and dating somewhere around C13/14th possibly very slightly later . This is a very scarce item and it relates to The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem being a Catholic chivalric order of Knighthood that traces its roots to Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade. According to reliable sources in the Vatican and Jerusalem, it began in historical reality as a mixed clerical and lay confraternity (association) of pilgrims which gradually grew around the most central of the Christian holy places in the Middle East, the Holy Sepulchre or the tomb of Jesus Christ.This would have been a pin for a member of the order , there is a mark on the reverse where the original pin would have been fixed '

1215 Henry III hammered silver short cross penny

Rev *E.ON.CA - Canterbury mint

1430-1 Henry VI hammered silver groat- Rosette mascle issue- inital mark incurved cross

Calais mint

1422-30 Henry VI hammered silver groat- Annulet issue-Annulet in two qtrs on reverse - inital mark cross patonce

Calais mint

Robert FitzWalter - enameled 13thC heraldic shield pendant

Or a fess between two chevrons gules

Robert le FizWalter

In 1206 King John refused to agree to Pope Innocent III's choice of Archbishop of Canterbury after his own choice had been rejected. Because the king still challenged the pope, in 1207 he was excommunicated (not allowed to be a member of the church) and an 'interdict' was issued by the pope.

Because of the interdict, the churches closed and their bells fell silent. With the church doors locked, services could not take place. The dead had to be buried in fields instead of in holy ground. People could not marry in church and baptisms had to be carried out in church porches.

King John's excommunication also let off the barons from their oath of loyalty to him. Because they might rebel against him at any time, King John acted quickly against anyone who looked as though they might be disloyal. We know from the Medieval Chronicles that Robert FitzWalter, the 3rd Lord of Dunmow Castle, was accused of plotting to kill King John during a rebellion in 1212. The rebellion was quickly quashed. FitzWalter was outlawed and fled to France.

Eventually in 1213, the Pope told King Philip of France that he could invade England and King John finally agreed to the Pope's terms including his choice of Archbishop. Robert FitzWalter returned home and, with the other Barons, he made peace with King John.

This did not last long, however. It was found that FitzWalter was still plotting against the King and urging for the government to be reformed. Because of this, his home in London, the Castle of Baynard, was almost entirely destroyed

Taxes, during King John's reign, were very high and became ever higher.

In 1214, King John left England to fight a war in France. To make sure the army had enough supplies, the king's Regent of the time, Peter de Roches, raised a very big tax on the barons. The war was lost and, as in the story, on the Kings' return, Robert FitzWalter called a meeting at Bury St Edmunds Abbey where it was agreed that the King must agree to the laws and freedoms granted to the barons in the charter of Henry 1st, or they would declare war on him.

Robert FitzWalter led the Baron's army under the title "Marshal of the Army of God and the Holy Church." In the end, the King was forced to sign the Magna Carta at Runnymede on 15th June 1215. Several copies of the Magna Carta documents still exist.

Magna Carta means 'great charter'. To abide by Magna Carta, the King had to agree to certain laws and accept that his will was not above the law. It was not the first written document that put limits on the power of a king, but it was the first that was backed up by a council (of 25 barons) to try and make sure the king obeyed. It included a paragraph that said 'no free man shall be seized, imprisoned, disposed, outlawed, exiled or ruined in any way ? 'except by the lawful judgment of his peers?'

John did not sign the document willingly and never intended to keep to it. In September 1215, just a few months after signing the charter, King John sent a message to the Pope asking him to annul the charter. The Pope agreed and excommunicated the barons that had signed it.

As the fighting started again, FitzWalter slipped off to France and offered Prince Louis the English throne. Both Scottish and French armies invaded England. After fighting off the Scottish forces, King John's army changed direction to East Anglia, intending to quash the baron's rebellion. As his troops crossed the river Ouse on 11th October, they were caught by the rising tide and the crown Jewels sank into the Wash. Just a few days later, on 19th October, King John died at Newark.

At the time of his death, the French flag flew over East Anglia. However, a French King did not rule England as no bishop would crown Prince Louis and many of the barons, who had rebelled against King John, now gave their support to his nine-year-old son Henry.

When John became King on the death of his brother Richard in 1199, the treasury (money for running the kingdom) was nearly empty. His answer was to raise money through taxes and his reign was one of harsh laws and heavy taxes.

At the start of his reign, while he was away from England, he left Geoffrey FitzPeter in control as 'Regent'. He was a harsh man and did not worry about demanding heavy taxes and gave the local sheriffs a free hand to collect these by any means. He became very unpopular.

Like most Kings of the time John was ruthless. It was also claimed that King John killed his nephew, Arthur, in 1206, to make sure of the future of the throne. However, history may not have been very fair to King John. At this time the historians, or chroniclers, were mainly monks. These monks would have been in sympathy with the parties that King John was arguing with - that is the church and the rich estate owners (barons).

King John's reign was far from all bad for the country. Many towns such as Cambridge, Ipswich, King's Lynn and Norwich grew rich as they were given 'charters' and encouraged to govern themselves. The towns benefited from changes in the way taxes were paid and could get income from taxing market traders entering the town.

R. Turner 1994 argued that John "...had intelligence, administrative ability and he was good at planning military campaigns. However, too many personality flaws held him back". Unfortunately for King John, no king of the time could have run the country successfully without the support of the powerful Barons and Noblemen.

What of Matilda's supposed murder and her links with Robin Hood?

Robin and Marion
The monk, Matthew Paris, writing in his diary some years later in the 13th century, mentions the murder of Matilda. He records that in 1234/5, Robert FitzWalter died and that "?y his first wife, FitzWalter had, with other children, a daughter, Matilda the Fair, called 'Maid Marion,' said to have been poisoned by King John."

Matilda, his daughter, may indeed have been beautiful but very little is known of her life and death. After the rebellion of 1212, when FitzWalter and his family fled to France, it seems that he made his actions seem good, by saying the king was after his daughter and was plotting to kill his son-in-law.

King John was not a pleasant man, but many historians do not believe FitzWalter's story. Robert FitzWalter had a shady past. He had surrendered Vaudreuil in France to the French king in 1203 under suspicious circumstances. So, whether what he did was because of King John's interest in his daughter or came from a wish for more power is difficult to say.

The character of Maid Marion, like Friar Tuck, is not in the early ballads of Robin Hood. The character of Maid Marion probably came from an early French Pastoral romance ??he shepherd and shepherdess Robin and Marion'. Parts of this story and the Robin Hood stories probably merged and Maid Marion became Robin Hood's true love in the later versions of the legend.

It is in Anthony Munday's Elizabethan "Huntingdon" plays; written in the 17th century that Marian becomes an alias employed by Matilda FitzWalter. A popular romance at the time was the legend of King John pursuing Matilda, daughter of Robert FitzWalter. Robin Hood or Robin of Loxley, if such a person existed, was not a well-known Nobleman but most likely a wronged landowner, fighting to regain his family seat.

Dunmow Priory in Essex is said to be the resting-place of Robin Hood's Maid Marian. All that remains of Dunmow Priory is the present church of Dunmow; the south aisle of what was once a much larger building. However the story lives on, along with the many other tales of Robin Hood; and King John's jewels and royal regalia remain a treasure trove still to be found.

1485 Henry VII hammered silver sovereign penny - keys below shield - Archb Rotherham

Obv CIVI/TAS/EBO/RACI - York mint

Probably one of the smallest hammered silver coins you can find, 1/3rd the weight of a Medieval silver farthing

1341 Edward III hammered silver penny

Rev CIVI/TAS/LON/DON - London mint

Legend is very odd - Obv OME and Rev ITA ???

Not in the books

1163-1167 Henry II hammered silver penny -Tealby coinage - Cross and Crosslets

Class C

Lead bust shaped medallion - London shield - Rev has 2 busts facing left

'King George and men may'

1422-27 Henry VI hammered silver groat- Annulet issue-Annulet by neck in two qtrs on reverse - inital mark pierced cross

Calais mint

1422-27 Henry VI hammered silver groat- Annulet issue-Annulet by neck in two qtrs on reverse - inital mark pierced cross

Calais mint

1788 George III guinea gaming token

'the good old days'

Sponge fossil - UPPER CRETACEOUS PERIOD:  83 - 71 million years ago

Very interesting hollow Roman bronze votive offering animal - red enamelled on head on nose

3 cut outs to rear

38mm L x 27.8mm H - 10.06g

1413 Henry V hammered silver penny - quadrefoil with pellet on rev

York archbishop issue

This medieval quadrefoil pendant has been soaking for 3 weeks and finally I got the detail to come through - stunning red and green enamelled lion with fluer de lis

more work to do on it yet

18thC 81st regiment of foot - officers button

The 81st was raised in 1793 in response to the French Revolution. The British Army was in the process of being expanded to meet the French Republican threat.On 23 September 1793, Major General Albemarle Bertie, formerly of the 1st Foot Guards, was directed to raise a regiment. However, no levy money would be provided. The original compliment was composed of the Militia of Lincoln volunteering to serve in the new regiment. Originally known as the Loyal Lincoln Volunteers, the regiment was embodied in January 1794.

On 25 January 1794, the Loyal Lincoln Volunteers were re designated as the 81st Regiment of Foot. The regiment was quartered in Lincoln and Gainsborough. The first commander was Lieutenant Colonel Lewis.

19thC livery buttons

Very interesting boar's knife pommel find - silver on copper with red glass eyes

Not sure of date so one for the museum

1469-1504 Ferdinand and Isabella - British weight for an excellente

17.71mmsq, 6.21g