The Shrewsbury Hoard - one of the largest coin hoards ever found in Shropshire

 The Shrewsbury Hoard: Illuminating Roman Shropshire

The Shrewsbury Hoard stands as one of the most substantial coin repositories unearthed in Shropshire. Painstaking excavation, conservation, and scholarly inquiry have brought to light the intricacies of this Roman time capsule, its secrets undisturbed for nearly seventeen centuries.

https://portableant.github.io/findsorgukblogs/the-marches/2011/10/25/the-shrewsbury-hoard-from-discovery-to-inquest/

Fortuitous Discovery

As is so often the case, the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) was first alerted to this extraordinary find by a simple telephone call. Yet, rarely does the initial inquiry involve a declaration such as this: "Greetings. I have recently begun metal detecting and believe you may take an interest in my inaugural discovery  – a vessel seemingly brimming with coins." The accompanying photograph, portraying a Roman storage jar overflowing with coinage, wholly unprepared me for the scene to come.

The hoard was uncovered by Nic Davis in August 2009. Davis, a new enthusiast of metal detecting, was exploring a modern bridleway within a tree plantation near Shrewsbury. Crucially, he was unaware of the legal necessity to obtain landowner permission prior to detecting, even on public rights of way. The significance of this point cannot be overstated: all land is subject to ownership rights, and aspiring metal detectorists must secure express permission before commencing activities. On recognizing the potential importance of his find, Davis astutely contacted the local museum, initiating the process in motion.

Davis and I established a meeting point near the findspot and examined the coins more closely. We initiated negotiations with the landowner for a formal archaeological excavation and alerted the coroner.

The hoard appeared remarkably intact, housed within a well-preserved Roman vessel. Although broken at the neck, the jar's lower portions were intact, and its substantial weight indicated that it was completely filled with coins.  Moreover, the enclosing archaeological context seemed undisturbed by agricultural activity.

It is imperative that all metal detectorists familiarize themselves with the Code of Conduct for Responsible Metal Detecting: http://finds.org.uk/getinvolved/guides/codeofpractice

The Excavation

Through fortunate collaboration with Shropshire Council, the PAS was able to secure joint funding for the excavation. This undertaking was skillfully directed by Hugh Hannaford, an experienced council archaeologist, assisted by local metal detectorist and volunteer Trevor Brown.

A small trench (2m x 2m) was opened over the original findspot. This revealed minimal disturbance at the site, aside from the removal of the hoard itself. Noteworthy is the discovery of a substantial flat stone, originally uncovered by the finder during his excavation, which likely served as a marker to indicate the burial location.  It is plausible that the stone might have also concealed the vessel's neck, perhaps as a makeshift lid.

Trevor's presence and skill as a detectorist proved indispensable, resulting in the recovery of nearly 300 additional coins from the excavated area.

The sequence of archaeological strata suggests that the hoard was deposited over time, the coins added incrementally to a pre-prepared cavity in the earth.

Following the excavation, the hoard was transported to the British Museum for further specialist analysis.

Conservation and Analysis

Prior to examination by numismatists at the Department of Coins and Medals, the hoard required meticulous conservation work generously funded by the Roman Research Trust and the Haverfield Trust. This painstaking task was primarily undertaken by Ellen Van Bork, Pippa Pearce, and their colleagues in the British Museum's Conservation Department.

The hoard ultimately yielded a staggering 9,315 individual coins.

The coins were extracted in eight sequential layers to assess any internal stratification. This yielded fragments of textile within the pot, preserved through proximity to the copper alloy coinage. Subsequent cleaning facilitated the detailed numismatic study led by Dr. Eleanor Ghey.

Dr. Ghey's analysis determined that the coins span the period AD 313-335, with the latest issues dating to AD 333-335. However, note also the presence of eighteen earlier 'radiate' coins, minted AD 260-293.