A medieval gold ring was discovered by a metal detectorist in a farmer field near Beverley Minster in Yorkshire. The 20-carat gold ring, engraved with St George, is thought to have once belonged to a bishop, or nobleman. Given the rarity, quality and rich historical value of medieval jewellery, this ring is expected to sell for around £10,000.
Metal detectorist Adam Day, 30, was ‘shaking’ when he found the ring. He said, “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.”
Adam Day found the ring in a farmer field near Beverley Minster in Yorkshire
This rare ring, dating back to between 1450-1550, is expected to fetch £8,000-£10,000 at Hansons Auctioneers in Derbyshire on 24 January. An expert from the auction house said, “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."
Half of the money from the sale will go to the farmer who owned the land where the ring was discovered.
Previously, a rare medieval brooch with similar floral patterns to the ‘bishop’s ring’ was found near the moat of a Leicestershire castle. It was believed to belong to English nobility and sold for £20,800 against its estimate of £6,000-£8,000.