DetectingWales.com

By Harry Pettit   Published: 14:47, 2 January 2018 


An amateur treasure hunter has unearthed a 15th century bishop's ring in a farmer's field in Yorkshire.

Lorry driver, Adam Day, 30, said he was 'shaking' when he made the discovery,  and that he immediately knew it was something special.

The 20-carat gold ring, engraved with St George as well as floral emblems, is thought to have once belonged to a bishop and is worth around £10,000 ($13,500).


The ring was found in a field near Beverley Minster in Yorkshire.

It is engraved with St George and St Catherine and features floral emblems.

The ring's fine decorative engraving and faceting suggest it was owned by a high-ranking official. 

It may have belonged to a bishop from Beverley Minster, and would have been commissioned, experts said.

Beverley Minster in Beverley, near Hull, is one of the largest parish churches in the UK.
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Lorry driver Mr Day, who found the ring in a field near Beverley Minster in Yorkshire, said: 'I was shaking when I found it.

'It was quite close to the surface, not buried deep in the ground. It is engraved with St George and St Catherine and features floral emblems.

'Beverley Minster is nearby and it's likely the ring belonged to a priest from there. It dates back to between 1450-1550.'

The medieval artefact is expected to sell for around £10,000 ($13,500) at Hansons Auctioneers' Historica sale in Derbyshire on January 24.

Half of the money from the sale will go to the farmer who owned the land where it was discovered.

The 20-carat gold ring, engraved with St George as well as floral emblems (pictured), is thought to have once belonged to a bishop and is worth around £10,000 ($13,500)

Adam Staples, Hansons' Historica expert, said: 'It is a superb example of the craftsmanship of the time.

'Only high-ranking figures such as bishops or nobility would have been able to afford a ring of such high quality featuring fine decorative engraving and faceting.

'It may well have belonged to a bishop from Beverley Minster and would have been commissioned.'

Beverley Minster in Beverley, near Hull, is one of the largest parish churches in the UK.

Mr Day added: 'You can see Beverley Minster from the field where I found the ring.

'I have had some interesting finds before including a Bronze age flat axe and Celtic brooch but this is the best one yet.'

Last summer, a unique 15th century sweetheart brooch, believed to belong to English nobility and featuring similar floral patterns to the bishop's ring, sold for £20,800 ($28,000) at Hansons.

Mr Staples added: 'Medieval jewellery commands high prices due to its rarity, quality and rich historical value.'

Makes you wonder what journey carried it away from the Church.

Lovely lucky find. Thanks for posting Neil.

Now that's a find and a half. Very nice indeed.

Great find.

I drove very close to there yesterday (coming back down from Darlington where my in-laws are).

Despite asking them about all the farmers I have they know, they have yet to help because they think metal detecting isn't what I should be doing........

Beverley minster is a great place to visit - you can't even smell Hull from there :)  - would point out that if it isn't a cathedral, there isn't a bishop....... (and yes I know Bath sometimes has a bishop, but the bishop's seat is actually in Wells).

ummmm........shouldnt it be going in to treasure trove and not Hansons Auctions though ???

Very nice

I guess it had gone through the treasure process and was disclaimed Nobby ? Supprisingly  ???