Medieval brooches found in fields declared treasure

Two silver medieval brooches found in fields in Pembrokeshire have been officially declared treasure by a coroner.

Both brooches were found independently by metal detectorists.

David Johnston and Kevin Higgs both made their finds in 2019. They will now be independently valued before being offered to museums for sale.

Tenby Museum & Art Gallery and Scolton Manor Park & Museum are looking to acquire the brooches.

The age of the brooches mean they could have been worn around the time freedom fighter William Wallace was executed by the English, or as the bubonic plague swept through Europe.

Mr Johnston found his silver brooch from the 12th to 13th centuries on 10 March 2019, in a field in Penally.

Eloise Chapman, from Tenby Museum & Art Gallery, said the museum had nothing like Mr Johnston's find in its collection.

"This lovely little brooch will provide an insight for our visitors into medieval fashion and everyday life in the Tenby area," she said.

Mr Higgs found his brooch, which dates back to the 13 to 14th centuries, on 24 April 2019, in Ambleston.

Dr Mark Redknap, from National Museum Wales, said: "Silver brooches decorated with niello were popular across medieval Wales and this small example may have fastened clothing made of fine cloth."

He said that through the Treasure Act "we are building a more accurate picture of fashion in the medieval period".

The Treasure Act allows for the sale price to be shared among the finder and the owner of the land.