A rare 14th-century gold seal ring discovered by two metal detectorists in eastern England could have belonged to Matilda of Lancaster, Countess of Ulster. Found in a ploughed field in Suffolk, the medieval ring is expected to sell for £10,000–£12,000 at auction later this month.
The ring was discovered in April 2024, near Stoke Ash, Suffolk, by friends Aaron Pizzey and James Race. The pair had already searched two fields without success before deciding to try one more. Pizzey, an engineering lecturer in West Suffolk, recalled:
That morning had proved fruitless on the first two fields we had searched, so we tried one more field. I had a faulty headset and was about to throw it into the hedge when Jim, who is a product development engineer said: ”It’s a good omen, you’ll find Gold” Thirty seconds later my Minelab Nox 800 gave a cracking signal, digging down I saw in a clod of earth the colour of gold. “Gold!” I shouted to Jim who ignored me thinking it was a joke. Then he saw me waving holding the seal with a big grin on my face.
The find was subsequently reported to the local finds liaison officer and recorded. The proceeds from its sale will be divided with the landowner.
A link to Matilda of Lancaster?
Photo courtesy Noonans
The ring features a medieval carnelian intaglio depicting a griffin walking to the left. The stone is set within an oval gold bezel surrounded by an inscription in Lombardic script.
“The seal ring has a Medieval carnelian intaglio engraved with the image of a Griffin walking to the left, set in the centre of the gold oval bezel which has a flat border inscribed in lombardic script “GRIFFVnMATILIELEMATILIOVR” which may translate as ‘griffin Matilda the maternal countess’,” explains Nigel Mills, a consultant to Noonans. “This could suggest the ring belonged to Matilda of Lancaster who became countess of Ulster. In 1347-8 she became a canoness of the Augustinian Campsey Priory just 20 miles from where the ring was found.”
Photo courtesy Aaron Pizzey
The proposed identification is particularly intriguing because of the ring’s proximity to Campsey Priory. However, Noonans presents the connection with Matilda of Lancaster as a possibility rather than a confirmed attribution.
The ring will be offered by Noonans in London on September 22 as part of its Jewellery, Watches, Silver and Objects of Vertu auction. It carries an estimate of £10,000–£12,000.
A rare 14th-century gold seal ring discovered by two metal detectorists in eastern England could have belonged to Matilda of Lancaster, Countess of Ulster. Found in a ploughed field in Suffolk, the medieval ring is expected to sell for £10,000–£12,000 at auction later this month.
The ring was discovered in April 2024, near Stoke Ash, Suffolk, by friends Aaron Pizzey and James Race. The pair had already searched two fields without success before deciding to try one more. Pizzey, an engineering lecturer in West Suffolk, recalled:
That morning had proved fruitless on the first two fields we had searched, so we tried one more field. I had a faulty headset and was about to throw it into the hedge when Jim, who is a product development engineer said: ”It’s a good omen, you’ll find Gold” Thirty seconds later my Minelab Nox 800 gave a cracking signal, digging down I saw in a clod of earth the colour of gold. “Gold!” I shouted to Jim who ignored me thinking it was a joke. Then he saw me waving holding the seal with a big grin on my face.
The find was subsequently reported to the local finds liaison officer and recorded. The proceeds from its sale will be divided with the landowner.
A link to Matilda of Lancaster?
The ring features a medieval carnelian intaglio depicting a griffin walking to the left. The stone is set within an oval gold bezel surrounded by an inscription in Lombardic script.
“The seal ring has a Medieval carnelian intaglio engraved with the image of a Griffin walking to the left, set in the centre of the gold oval bezel which has a flat border inscribed in lombardic script “GRIFFVnMATILIELEMATILIOVR” which may translate as ‘griffin Matilda the maternal countess’,” explains Nigel Mills, a consultant to Noonans. “This could suggest the ring belonged to Matilda of Lancaster who became countess of Ulster. In 1347-8 she became a canoness of the Augustinian Campsey Priory just 20 miles from where the ring was found.”
The proposed identification is particularly intriguing because of the ring’s proximity to Campsey Priory. However, Noonans presents the connection with Matilda of Lancaster as a possibility rather than a confirmed attribution.
The ring will be offered by Noonans in London on September 22 as part of its Jewellery, Watches, Silver and Objects of Vertu auction. It carries an estimate of £10,000–£12,000.
Click here to visit the Noonan’s auction for this item
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