Medieval Bifacial Illuminated Book of Hours Vellum Manuscript Page

Comprising a pierced trefoil terminal with a drilled circular pit above; flat-topped hexagonal pedestal with collar, the body of the matrix flaring to the circular die with orientation notch; the retrograde legend '* hVnDR DE FLAXBERGh' around the circumference of the die, and tondo with inscription in two registers 'COitat SVSSEX'; file marks on the trefoiled loop. 35.6 grams, 36 mm high



Found near Lewes, East Sussex, UK, in August 2024. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.SUSS-99E46F.

This is an official seal matrix used for labourers' passes from the hundred of Flexborough in the Rape of Pevensey, Sussex, which incorporated the ancient parishes of East Batchington, South Heighton and Seaford. Another official seal for the hundred of Foxearle in the Rape of Hastings is recorded on the PAS Database (SUSS-D8F8D5), which notes that the seals were probably used by the Constables, amongst whose duties were keeping the peace and, from the 14th century, providing passes for workmen seeking work beyond their own hundred. In 1285, King Edward I of England passed the Statute of Winchester, which 'constituted two constables in every hundred to prevent defaults in towns and highways'. Constables were unpaid and usually elected locally. Harvey and MacGuiness (1996:41) note: 'The Statute of Cambridge in 1388 ordered that labourers moving from the area where they lived should be given a pass sealed by someone appointed by the local justices of the peace, and describing the seal's design - it should name the county around the edge and the hundred, wapentake or town across the centre. (ibid: fig:35). Three years later sheriffs were ordered to have these seals made at once'. They quote 6 examples of surviving matrices (p.42), and others exist including three from Norfolk and two from Suffolk (Ashley and Richardson 1998). This example and the other Sussex example, SUSS-D8F8D5, name the county and hundred as required but reverse the arrangement laid out in the statute and seen on other seals, which have the county in the middle and the hundred around the edge. Research by Christopher Whittick in the archives of Battle Abbey has also identified a document bearing a seal for Battle Hundred which is similar in design to this example, with the county name in the middle and the hundred name around the edge. Unusually, the seal was used on a private charter dated 1361, which suggests Sussex hundreds were using standardised seals a generation before the statute of 1388. It also raises interesting questions about whether the existence of seals such as this influenced the 1388 statute.

Stirrup-shaped with a circular hoop rising to a triangular bezel with a silver boss, four four-petalled flowers on the hoop at one, three, nine and eleven o'clock, the underside of the hoop with clasped hands emerging from sleeves with raised ridges and grooves. 4.21 grams, 30.69 mm overall, 20.44 x 21.72 mm internal diameter (approximate size British U 1/2, USA 10 1/4, Europe 23.15, Japan 22)



Found whilst searching with a metal detector in Folkestone and Hythe, Kent, UK, on 27th March 2024; declared as Treasure under the Treasure Act with reference number 2024T433, disclaimed by the Crown and returned to the finder. Property of a Kent gentleman, a specialist medieval collector. Accompanied by a copy of the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) report no.KENT-9266B7. Accompanied by a copy of the report of potential Treasure for H M Coroner. Accompanied by a copy of a letter from the British Museum informing the finder that the Crown's interest in this find has been disclaimed, and other documentation.

Chessman type with central bird beneath a feather, border with legend 'PRIVE SVM[.]', supplied with an impression. 8.23 grams, 27 mm



Found Romney Marsh area, Kent, 1990-2015. Property of a Kent gentleman, a specialist medieval collector.