More information : [Area SP 970131]
"In the spring of the present year [1870] some workmen forming a
road a few hundred yards to the south of Moneybury Hill, & close by
the column erected in honour of the great Duke of Bridgewater,
came upon a number of coins, some articles of metal, animal
remains, and broken pottery of Roman date, which have been kindly
submitted to me for examination by Earl Brownlow, on whose estate
they were found. The coins, of which a detailed list is appended,
are 116 in number & range over a considerable period of time....A
halfpenny of William & Mary the presence of which among the
other coins must of course be accidental, is not included in the
number above stated.
"Of the Roman coins it seems not improbable that there may have
been two distinct hoards, the one consisting of the so-called
large & middle brass coins, the latest of which may date about
AD 249, and the other of the small brass coins which belong in
part to the period of 'the Thirty Tyrants', '& range down to
about AD 270.....
"A curious feature in this hoard is the large proportion of ancient
forgeries it contains in the shape of coins cast from genuine
originals. Though they were all probably cast at about the same
time, the models range form Vespasian to Otacilix Severa....
"The other objects found at the same time consist of some small
fragments of a thin brass plate, the half of a plain brass ring,
a penannular ring of silver wire slightly tapering towards
each end, and possibly an earring, and two fibulae or brooches. Of
these one with its front plate in the form of a leaf still retains
its pin. It is of brass, but has originally been trimmed, so
that the greater part of its surface has remained bright &
uncorroded. The form is rare & more graceful than usual with
bow-shaped fibulae. The other brooch is of circular form, about
1-1/4" in diam., with a central ornament of glass, rather more
than 1/2" in diameter....."
Coins:
TABULAR MATERIAL OMITTED
As above, giving number of coins as 118 but only listing 116. (2)
The coin of Cunobelin was of Evans type XII:6 [Allen: Belgic
Dynasties, Arch. XC (1944) III:31]. (3,4)
SP 969133. Roman building at Aldbury Monument. Neal quotes VCH
4 (Authy 2) as reference, but this makes no mention of a building.
Possibly refers to the building at SP 971136 (see SP 91 SE1). (5)
|