Rare jewel found in Horncastle could fetch £15k

An exceptionally rare medieval jewel found in a muddy field in Horncastle could fetch up to £15,000 when it goes under the hammer later this week.
Lisa Grace. EMN-190418-142229001Lisa Grace. EMN-190418-142229001
Lisa Grace. EMN-190418-142229001

The jewel, found by Lisa Grace and Adam Staples in 2013, will go up for auction on Friday, April 26, at Duke’s in Dorchester.

The artefact - which is dated by experts to circa 145 - is estimated at between £10-£15,000 in value.

The jewel dates back from the time of the Wars of the Roses - regarded as one of the most turbulent times in our history.

The rare jewel found in Horncastle. EMN-190418-142240001The rare jewel found in Horncastle. EMN-190418-142240001
The rare jewel found in Horncastle. EMN-190418-142240001

It resembles a very similar jewel depicted pinned to the hat of King Edward IV in a portrait - preserved in The Museum Calvet in Avignon, France.

The fact the stone at the centre of the jewel is an amethyst, with all the royal connotations attached to these stones, has lead some specialists to speculate that the jewel may have been lost by the king himself.

Guy Schwinge, auctioneer at Duke’s, said: “This will always remain a tantalising possibility.

“The jewel does bear a striking resemblance to the one in the portrait of a young Henry Tudor, son-in-law of Edward IV from the Musee Calvet.

“Equally it may have belonged to a courtier.

“The fact is we shall never know.

“But it clearly belonged to someone of high status in the upper echelons of medieval society.”

Lisa Grace and Adam Staples are well known in detecting circles.

They have made many exciting discoveries in the past - and from an historical perspective this is one of their best finds yet.

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