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Daily Mail
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Talk about striking gold! Amateur metal detectorist discovers an 18th-century ring in a field in Norfolk - and it's linked to a member of the British nobility
An amateur metal detectorist has found a stunning 18th-century ring in a field in Norfolk that has links to the British nobility. Malcom Weale, 53, unearthed the gold jewellery in a field near Thetford, Norfolk, after searching the area for 18 months. The detectorist was 'shaking' when he saw the ring glinting in the sunlight. Mr Weale told the BBC: 'I knew this was something very special and I did a bit of a dance.' 'There it was, a glint of pure gold, shiny as the day it was dropped, six inches down in the mud. 'It's very rare to put a name to anything you find.' The treasure was crafted about 300 years ago to commemorate a member of the British nobility, called Sir Bassingbourne Gawdry. A hollowed-out part of the ring's exterior depicts what's thought to be a skull, while an inscription on the interior records his death date. The oval depression on the exterior contains jewellery enamel – a material made by fusing powdered glass or ceramic at high temperatures. Against the grayish background, black spots and lines have been used to create the squashed-looking skull, Live Science reports. Mr Weale made the find on August 9 last year, but it has only just been declared treasure having being studied through the Portable Antiquities Scheme by experts at the British Museum. It pays tribute to Sir Bassingbourne Gawdry, the 3rd Baronet of Harling, who died in a hunting accident in 1723, aged 56. He is described as a 'notable sportsman' who liked 'rackety exploits'. The name and date of death of the baronet are inscribed on the inside of the ring. The inscription reads 'B.G. Bart. ob: 10. Oct: 1723. aet: 56,' which means 'B.G. Baronet, died 10th October 1723, aged 56', according to historian Helen Geake. Sir Bassingbourne Gawdry likely left orders for several of these 'mourning rings' to be made when he died, but only one has been found by Mr Weale. Who was Sir Bassingbourne Gawdry? Sir Bassingbourne Gawdy (1667-1723), 3rd Baronet of Harling, was a member of the British nobility. He was son of Norfolk painter Sir John Gawdy, who was deaf all his life and an early pioneer of sign language. Bassingbourne died in a hunting accident in 1723, aged 56. Records suggest he died unmarried and that his hereditary title went extinct. But who exactly owned this particular ring 300 years ago is still something of a mystery. Records suggest Sir Bassingbourne Gawdy was unmarried and without children – so perhaps it was owned by a close friend or associate. Sir Bassingbourne Gawdry was the son of famous painter Sir John Gawdy (1639-1699) who, along with his brother Framlingham, was born deaf and mute. The brothers hold the distinction of being the first known British born deaf persons to be educated and taught to read and write through sign language. John is recorded as a handsome and intelligent man with a notable talent for painting, for which he 'attained no small degree of celebrity', according to one record. But Bassingbourne (his son) remained unmarried and upon his death from his accident on October 10, 1723 the baronetcy became extinct. Both John and Bassingbourne were part of a successful and influential family of lawyers who flourished in Norfolk and Suffolk in the 16th and 17th century. The Gawdy family is said to have descended from Sir Brews Gawdey, a French knight who was captured during the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453). After being taken prisoner in 1352, it appears Sir Brews Gawdey was naturalised and settled in Suffolk, although the Gawdy Hall estate in Norfolk was built by the family in the 1500s. Queen Elizabeth I is thought to have stayed in Gawdy Hall in 1578. Mr Weale, who has been a detectorist since he was seven years old, said discovery of the historic ring 'turned out to be one of my best days'. 'Over the years I've found all sorts of treasures including a hoard of late Roman coins, gold rings and jewellery,' he told the BBC. 'Last year was a particularly good year for detecting as, thanks to the rainfall, the moisture levels in the ground were very high.
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Centuries-old ring found 'gleaming in the sunshine'
A metal detectorist has discovered a gold mourning ring dating from the 18th Century "gleaming in the sunshine". Malcom Weale, 53, unearthed the ring in a field near Thetford, in Norfolk, in August. The piece of jewellery, linked to an ancestor of Gawdy Hall Estate in Harleston, is believed to have been created in memory of Sir Bassingbourne Gawdy, the 3rd Baronet of Harling, who died in a hunting accident in 1723, aged 56. Describing the moment he spotted it, Mr Weale said: "I knew this was something very special and I did a bit of a dance." Mr Weale, who has been a detectorist since he was seven years old, found the piece, that was crafted in gold and enamel, after searching the area for 18 months. He also discovered "some medieval silver coins from King Stephen to Henry VII, some modern coins, some vape ring pulls and shotgun caps". The ring has been declared treasure at Norfolk Coroner's Court and will now be taken to the British Museum for valuation, to see how much money the finder and landowner will get. Mr Weale said: "Over the years I've found all sorts of treasures including a hoard of late Roman coins, gold rings and jewellery. "Last year was a particularly good year for detecting as, thanks to the rainfall, the moisture levels in the ground were very high. "With metal detecting you can spend days, weeks or months searching, or sometimes just 20 minutes and make an amazing discovery." 'Six inches down in the mud' On the day of the discovery, he said: "There it was, a glint of pure gold, shiny as the day it was dropped, six inches down in the mud. "It's very rare to put a name to anything you find, but I knew this was something very special and I did a bit of a dance." He also discovered "a gold memorial ring, a medieval silver ring fragment, and the first and only Viking penny minted for Guthrum - a Viking warlord who became the first Viking king to convert to Christianity and ruled East Anglia in the 870s". The Gawdy family is believed to have been descended from Sir Brews Gawdey, a French knight who was captured during the Hundred Years War. After being taken prisoner in 1352, it appears he was naturalised and settled in Suffolk, although the Gawdy Hall estate is just north of the River Waveney in Norfolk. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Independent
5 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Detectorist discovers lost 18th-century ring ‘gleaming in sunshine' on Norfolk walk
A gold ring that had been lost for centuries has been found by a metal detectorist 'gleaming in the sunshine'. Malcolm Weale, 53, found the historic piece of jewellery in a field near Thetford, in Norfolk, in August. The ring, crafted in gold and enamel, is a mourning ring linked to an ancestor of Gawdy Hall Estate in Norfolk. It is thought to have been created in memory of Sir Bassingbourne Gawdy, the third baronet of Harling, who died in a hunting accident in 1723 at the age of 56. The inscription on the ring reads 'B.G. Bart. ob: 10. Oct: 1723. aet: 56', which means 'B.G. Baronet, died 10th October 1723, aged 56', according to historian Helen Geake. He is described as a bachelor who was 'a notable sportsman' and enjoyed 'rackety exploits' by The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. The ring has recently been declared treasure at Norfolk Coroner's Court and will now be taken to the British Museum where it will be valued. Describing the moment he found the 18th-century ring, Mr Weale said: "I knew this was something very special and I did a bit of a dance." Mr Weale, who has been a detectorist since he was seven years old, said he had been searching in the area for 18 months before finding the ring. 'Over the years I've found all sorts of treasures including a hoard of late Roman coins, gold rings and jewellery in the fields around my home in eastern England,' he said. 'Last year was a particularly good year for detecting as, thanks to the rainfall, the moisture levels in the ground were very high.' Mr Weale said he had already found some medieval silver coins from King Steven to Henry VII in the same field, as well as some modern coins. 'With metal detecting you can spend days, weeks or months searching or sometimes just 20 minutes and make an amazing discovery,' he said. 'August 9 was a hot day, I had my detector in the car, and it turned out to be one of my best days. 'It was just the second signal and there it was, a glint of pure gold, shiny as the day it was dropped, six inches down in the mud. 'It's very rare to put a name to anything you find, but I knew this was something very special and I did a bit of a dance.' Last year he also found a "gold memorial ring, a medieval silver ring fragment, and the first and only Viking penny minted for Guthrum - a Viking warlord who became the first Viking king to convert to Christianity and ruled East Anglia in the 870s". It is thought that Sir Brews Gawdey, a French knight who was taken during the Hundred Years War, is the ancestor of the Gawdy family. Although the Gawdy Hall estate is located in Norfolk, just north of the River Waveney, it seems that he was naturalised and lived in Suffolk after being captured in 1352.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- BBC News
Thetford teenager who went on run after stabbing man is jailed
A teenager who went on the run after stabbing a man who was out walking with his family has been jailed for 12 Norman was with his fiancee and two young daughters in Bury Road in Thetford, Norfolk, on 10 March 2024, when he was stabbed multiple former soldier, who was in his 30s, was in a critical condition in hospital for nearly two Price, 19, of Amulet Close in Thetford, was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) following a trial and was sentenced on Friday at Norwich Crown Court. Jurors also found Price guilty of possessing a knife in a public he was found not guilty of attempted murder.A second defendant, who was 17 but cannot be named for legal reasons, was found not guilty of attempted murder and of causing GBH with Insp Sam Pontin said: "The violence shown by Price was unwarranted and extreme, leaving a man for dead on the pavement in front of his family then running away." Price told jurors that Mr Norman taunted him about his teeth during the altercation on 10 March, which was Mother's footage showed the victim and the younger defendant fighting, and Price said he stabbed Mr Norman because he feared for his co-defendant's pair fled and were arrested in Kent after a six-week victim - who was aged in his 30s and served in Afghanistan for the Army - is still recovering from his injuries, some of which are a statement read out in court, Mr Norman said: "I lived independently, was sociable, and could drive; all of which is different now."Price was told he would serve three years on licence, on top of his 12-year prison term. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
A11 near Thetford closed after collision on central reservation
An A-road was closed following an accident involving a vehicle crossing a central reservation. The A11 northbound near Thetford, Norfolk, was closed between the junctions with the A1075 and the road was closed "due to a collision involving a vehicle that has crossed from one side of the carriageway to the other", National Highways said in a statement on X. A lane on the southbound carriageway is also closed. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
