Wirrals Hidden History Revealed
Trade Token
Finds From Wirral
Trade Token
Trade tokens are coin like objects that were issued by private companies.
There was a coin shortage in the late 18th century as the Royal Mint reduced coin production so tokens like these became almost currency.
US Half Dollar
Finds from Wirral
US Half Dollar
James 1 Coin
Finds from Wirral
James 1 Coin
Here we have a silver half groat of James I who was king from 1603-1625. This coin dates from the earliest part of his reign 1603-1604.
He became James I of England upon the death of his cousin Queen Elizabeth I.
Found on Wirral this is properly recorded on the Portable Antiquities database under the below reference.
Roman Coin
Finds from Wirral
Roman Coin
Currently submitted to the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) and awaiting validation and identification this tiny Roman coin which has been recently recovered has little or no monetary value.
It is in a poor state but you can make out a head in the top photograph.
Its true value however is in potentially identifying a previously unknown Roman site.
Through the responsible actions of people recovering and recording such items over a thousand previously unknown Roman sites have been located throughout the country according to PAS.
We are aware of local users of metal detectors who do not record finds. Indeed such people have approached us at some of our displays throughout the year telling us all about finds they have made.
Most have little or no knowledge of history and although we try and encourage them to properly record finds we know that many are detected on land without necessary permissions or recovered from sites and the location forgotten and will never be recorded.
Such items will no doubt languish in a drawer for many years before being forgotten or disposed of. This is an irreplaceable loss of our heritage.
Wirral Archaeology CIC have over 100 items already recorded on the database from Wirral and we are always in the process of submitting more.
All items recovered whether they reach the standards for the Portable Antiquities Scheme or not are GPS plotted and mapped and remain the property of the landowner.
No member of Wirral Archaeology CIC owns any item recovered.
This simple fact astounds many metal detector users who are more interested in collecting shiny things or lining their pockets than in history.
Interested in finding out more about what we do then get in touch – Contact
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Early Medieval Strap End
Finds From Wirral
Early Medieval Strap End
Although finds from the Wirral are quite rare from the period. A collection from Meols and a few more from around the area. Most are from the everyday life of the local inhabitants.
We have strap ends like the one below, buckles, spindle whorls and gaming pieces. Unfortunately there are NO finds like posh brooches on the Wirral (non at all) and no huge stashes of weapons like some books would lead you to believe but we will keep looking.
This find though is quite beautiful even in its present condition.
A mostly complete, but bent, zoomorphic strap end dating to the early medieval period (c.AD 750-950). The strap end is of Thomas’ Class A, Type 2. The strap end is sub-oval with a zoomorphic terminal at the closed end; the opposite end is split with two incompete rivet holes for attachment. The end terminal of the strap end is zoomorphic in the form of a forward facing animal head with a moulded snub-nosed snout, and moulded rounded ears. The upper plate has an incised decoration of chevrons within a rectangular cell. The centre of the cell is worn and the details indete…
https://finds.org.uk/database/search/results/q/LVPL-72FFAA
To find our more about what we do please contact us. https://www.wirralarchaeology.org/pages/contact/
Charles II Coin
Finds from Wirral
Charles II Coin
We always get our finds assessed by professionals and the Portable Antiquities Scheme entry on their database can be found on the link below.
Medieval Coin
Finds from Wirral
Medieval Coin
Here we have a coin of Edward IV. His reign was unusual as it was split into two separate periods during mthe Wars of the Roses between the House of Lancaster and the House of York.
Their full description can be seen at the following link
Modern – Bag ties
Finds from Wirral
Bag Ties
While nowhere near as old as some of our finds this is still interesting. It is a lead seal for a bag of bone manure fertiliser.
Procter and Ryland were a manufacturer of bone meal fertiliser situated on the edge of the River Dee at Saltney just outside Chester.
A chemical works had been operating on the site from as early as 1843 and the business was taken over by Procter and Ryland who had moved from Birmingham to Saltney in 1856.
The business was again taken over in 1894 by Edward Webb and Sons who had came from Stourbridge
Interested in finding out more about what we do then get in touch – Contact
Buckles
Finds from Wirral
Buckles
Here is a selection of the groups recent finds of buckles.
They date from as early as AD500 through to around AD1650. All are copper alloy and all are recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) with the British Museum.
All were recovered from Wirral.
From top left we have an unusual find. A small d-shaped copper alloy buckle which has been dated by PAS as from AD500-700 which is classed as early medieval. This is normally described as from the 5th or 6th century AD through to the 10th century.
https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/1103201
A search on the PAS database using the geographic area of Wirral shows that there are only 12 items recorded from this period. Wirral Archaeology have found and recorded 11 of these 12 items so we are actively adding to the historical story of Wirral.
Middle top is another small copper alloy buckle. Described by PAS as medieval this one is dated from AD1300-1400. You can see where the (now lost) pin was.
https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/1103193
Top right is another copper alloy buckle dated AD1300-1500
https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/1099029
On the bottom left row we have a larger decorated copper alloy buckle dated from AD1350-1450. This still has a moving pin.
https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/1099013
Bottom middle is a copper alloy post medieval buckle dated AD1500-1650. Again the slight recess where the pin would have sat can be seen.
https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/1099022
Finally bottom right we have another post medieval find. It is a copper alloy unit with a lovely patina. It has been dated from AD1500-1650. This example still has the pin fitted.
https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/1099721
Wirral Archaeology CIC.
Interested in finding out more about what we do then get in touch – Contact