Museum hoping to buy medieval gold brooch found near Shrewsbury
A medieval gold pin brooch found on the outside of Shrewsbury has been declared as treasure – making it the property of the Crown.
But Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery is set to make a bid to buy the brooch so that it can be displayed in its medieval gallery.
The brooch – which measures less than an inch across – was found by Roger Gamblin from Nantmawr, near Oswestry.
Mr Gamblin made the find during a metal-detector rally that took place in November 2012 on cultivated land just outside Shrewsbury.
It was declared as treasure by Shropshire Coroner Mr John Ellery at a hearing which took place at Shirehall in Shrewsbury.
Now the brooch will be taken to the British Museum or the National Museums & Galleries of Wales so it can be valued by the Treasure Valuation Committee.
The once round brooch has a Latin inscription in Lombardic script, reading: ODA EST PRE ENT which may refer to love or faith being rare, although the precise translation remains uncertain.
Peter Reavill, who is the finds liason officer from Shropshire Council, told the hearing: "It is of medieval origins, dating back to the mid 13th century.
"It is a very high status object, likely to have been worn by a woman, more of a pretty bauble.
"The inscription is not clear and may have been written in a localised French from the Norman invasions or in a bastard Latin."
Shropshire Museums has now expressed an interest in acquiring the find for their collections, meaning it could stay within the county.
Once the brooch has been valued Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery will be given a period of grace to raise the necessary funds to secure ownership.
These monies will then be paid to both the finder and landower as a reward under the Treasure Act (1996.)
