Details

LOT 0512

Post Medieval Tudor Silver 'Francis Vaughn at Hergest Court, Herefordshire' Hawking Ring

LATE 16TH CENTURY AD

1/3" and 1/2" (1.18 grams, 7.94 mm external diameter, 9.48 mm tall shield).

A silver hawking leg ring consisting of a band inscribed to the outer surface *F.VAGHAN in Roman letters; with attached heater shield bearing the engraved crest of a male head with a snake wrapped around his throat; this crest attributed to the Vaughn family of Herefordshire and to Francis Vaughn (died 1597).

Provenance

Found East Yorkshire, UK, 2012; disclaimed under Treasure Act reference 2012 T579 (with documentation describing as a vervel); recorded Portable Antiquities Scheme, reference YORYM-7576F7 (with printout extract).

Footnotes

The Vaughn family of 13th century Hergest Court, Herefordshire (still standing today) are descended from Black Vaughn, an infamous Lord of the Welsh Marches in the 15th century (beheaded 1469, after the battle of Banbury) who owned a huge and vicious dog that is said to still haunt the Herefordshire borderlands and around Hergest Court. To this day, legend has it that if the hound is sighted, it will bring death to the family. The haunting reputedly inspired the famous Sherlock Holmes tale 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' by Arthur Conan Doyle (first published serially 1901-1902). Francis Vaughn married Anne Boynton (daughter of Sir Thomas Boynton, High Sheriff of Yorkshire) in 1577 and Francis was appointed to this same post for 1594-1595 so this vervel could well have been lost in East Yorkshire, where it was found in 2012, during his period of office. This item is accompanied by several documents and extracts giving details of the history of the family, the house and legends, in addition to the British Museum report, Treasure Act disclaim letter and PAS entry extract.

CONDITION