Treasure found in the Cotswolds

5:12pm Wednesday 16th January 2008

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A RARE medieval ring unearthed in a Cotswold field last year has been declared treasure by a coroner today.

Council worker Denis Pople and his wife Tina were taking part in a metal detecting rally in September last year in Coberley when he discovered the 15th century ring under six inches of soil.

It is the only ring of its type to be found in the UK and it depicts a heart, flowers, a crown and a pair of clasped hands, a Gloucester inquest heard.

Mr Pople, from South Wales, was lead to the treasure by his metal detector.

Finds liaison officer at Cardiff Museum Mark Lodwick told the inquest: "It is over 300-years-old and is likely to be well in excess of 10 percent precious metal and therefore it can be considered potentially treasure under the 1996 Treasure Act."

Coroner Alan Crickmore declared the ring treasure.

The ring will now be valued and can be purchased by a local museum with half the value going to the finders and half to the landowner.

After the inquest Mr Pople said it was the first piece of jewellery he had found.

He said: "There were 200-300 people up at the Coberley rally and it was an annual event in aid of charity.

"When I first found it I thought it was an old washer but I cleaned the muck off it and could see the clasped hands on the side and realised it was something interesting."

His wife Tina said: "If it goes to a museum I hope it won't be left in a drawer and that it will go on display because it is very special."