Key Takeaways:
– Exceptional find of over 2,500 medieval silver coins in southwest England by amateur metal detectorists.
– The coins, minted from 1066 to 1068, provide a glimpse into the turbulent post-Norman conquest era.
– South West Heritage Trust recently acquired the treasure for public viewing.
– The discovery helps challenge conventional narratives surrounding the Norman invasion.
Unearthing History: A $5.6 million Story from the Soil
In a farmer’s field in southwest England, Adam Staples and his group of metal detecting enthusiasts unearthed an enlightening piece of the past. Their detectors’ repeated beeps led them to a hoard of over 2,500 ancient silver coins worth an estimated $5.6 million or 4.3 million British pounds. These coins, now destined for museum exhibits, offer an insight into the roller-coaster of historical events that marked the aftermath of the Norman Conquest of England nearly a thousand years ago.
“Our first find was a William the Conqueror coin, and from there, it just grew bigger and bigger,” Adam Staples said, referring to the historical significance of the discovery. Over his 30 years of scouring fields throughout Britain as a metal detecting hobbyist, this hoard has outshined all his precious finds.
A Treasure in the Turmoil Post-Norman Invasion
The vast collection, coined the ‘Chew Valley Hoard’, encompassed 2,584 silver pennies minted between 1066 and 1068. A glance at the coins offers glimpses of two contrasting monarchs – the conquering King William I, and his defeated Anglo-Saxon adversary, Harold II. This hoard was discovered in 2019 and is now under the South West Heritage Trust’s custody.
Michael Lewis, head of the Portable Antiquities Scheme, claims that their treasure is “one of the most spectacular modern discoveries.” He believes it will help debunk popular myths and enrich the understanding of the events from the pre-eminent date in English history, 1066. This was the year when William, Duke of Normandy, emerged victorious over King Harold, swiftly replacing England’s Saxon monarchy with Norman French leadership.
Debunking the Norman Conquest Myths
Rather than pondering on the conquest as a straightforward ‘English versus French’ or ‘good Saxons versus bad Normans’ conflict, the coin hoard pushes us to re-evaluate history. “The warring families were related, and the hoard helps us tell a more nuanced story,” said Lewis, arguing the need to reshape our perception of the invasion. Some of the coins bear crosses representing William, while others ironically emboss the word ‘pax’, translating to peace, symbolizing Harold.
Amal Khreisheh, curator of archaeology at the South West Heritage Trust, suggests the coins were possibly buried to safeguard them during local rebellions against Norman rule. “The people of Exeter rebelled against William in 1068. Harold’s sons, exiled in Ireland, returned launching attacks along the River Avon down into Somerset,” she explained. “It’s probably against that backdrop that the coins were hidden.”
Securing the Hoard for the Nation
The Chew Valley Hoard, named after the region of its discovery, has been acquired for the nation using funds from the national lottery’s charitable arm. After exclusive displays at the British Museum and other U.K. museums, the collection will find a permanent home at the Museum of Somerset in Taunton.
The acquisition of such findings is meticulously managed under Britain’s system for dealing with amateur archaeological findings. The Treasure Act asserts that anyone discovering historical assets must report to the local coroner. Once declared treasure, it becomes government property, with museums having the opportunity to bid for funding to acquire it. Consequently, Staples and his fellow detectorists and the landowner have split half of said purse, with the other half claimed by the government.
Delighted with the life-changing discovery, Staples plans to continue his hobby of metal detecting, looking forward to unearthing more significant historical gems, this time, mortgage-free. “I’m going to find something else,” he said, reflecting the enthusiasm that has brought him unexpected prosperity and a unique place in history’s narrative.