finds of mediaeva cut halfpencl and e bnj/pdfs... · 2019-03-07 · i am indebted president to your...

F I N D S O F M E D I A E V A L C U T H A L F P E N C E A N D

F A R T H I N G S A T D U N W I C H .

B Y EDWARD R . H . HANCOX.

E Y O N D the ruins of a church on the very edge of the cliff and

some fragmentary remains of monastic buildings, there is

nothing to impress the visitor to modern Dunwich with a

sense of its old time greatness. Though many of the accounts

of the past glories of Dunwich are probably traditional, there is no doubt

that it was at one time the Ecclesiastical centre of East Anglia, the great

seaport, which struck " terror and feare " into the hearts of its enemies.

For some 600 years before the Burgundian bishop Felix fixed his see

there, the town flourished, and may well have been, if not, the Roman

Extensium itself, a station established by the Romans, when the most

easterly part of Britain—some seven miles to the north of Dunwich and

generally supposed to have been the Roman Extensium—was threatened

with destruction by the sea. When the Roman station disappeared

and the town of Eastern Bavent, which succeeded it, was in turn slowly

worn 'away, the southward current set in more strongly against the

sand dune upon which Dunwich was built, at the southern extremity

of the bay, and the ingenuity of its dwellers could devise no means to

prevent their wealth and property being undermined by the ocean

current and washed away by storm and tide.

Dunwich cliffs of to-day are absolutely of the most powdery

nature, their face presents a serrated appearance, reminding one of a

huge snowdrift. No wonder then, that the history of Dunwich is a

long lamentable record of disaster. There was once a forest between

124 Finds of Mediceval Cut Halfpence and Farthings at Dunwich.

the town and the sea ; so the process of erosion had been going on for

centuries before the inhabitants, assisted by Henry III., when they saw

their town immediately threatened, built " a fence to check the inroads

of the sea."

About the time of Henry II., Dunwich was at the height of its

prosperity: it was then, as described by Gardner in his History, " a

town of good note, abounding with much riches, and sundry kinds of

merchandizes."

Under Richard I., the town was fined 1,060 marks, Orforcl 15,

Ipswich 200, ancl Yarmouth 200, for unlawfully supplying the king's

enemies with corn. These sums mav afford some idea of the relative J

importance of those East Anglian towns at that time.

In the reign of Edward 1., after the town had greatly declined, it

was still a port of considerable note, possessing—to quote Gardner—

"eleven ships of war, sixteen fair ships, twenty barks, and twenty-four

small boats" ; the eleven ships of war being built and equipped by

Dunwich men for the defence of the realm. Most of these ships and

the lives of the brave men of Dunwich who manned them, were,

however, lost durino- the war with France. O

Overwhelming disasters occurred in the early years of the reign

of Edward III., depriving the town by inroads of the sea of its fine

harbour, and about 400 houses. T h e new port being established near

Blythborough was alone a great blow to the prosperity of Dunwich.

Later, we read of the churches of St. Leonard, St. Martin, and St.

Nicholas being washed away, and in 1540 others shared the same fate,

until not one quarter of the town was left standing. In 1677 the sea

reached the Market Place, and the relentless waves claimed the whole

of the remaining buildings during the succeeding fifty years.

Under certain conditions of tide and wind, many relics of by-gone

Dunwich are picked up along the beach by those of its present

inhabitants who are interested, or who have patience enough to search

for them, and I believe these objects find ready purchasers in the

visitors to the tiny hamlet of modern houses that is the Dunwich of

to-day, for generally they are those who are attracted there by the

romance surrounding the extinction of the ancient city.

Relics from the Sea. 125

Among these interesting relics, I have seen neolithic implements,

Roman coins and bronze objects in great numbers, Saxon coins and

enamel work, mediaeval seals and, lastly, coins of, I believe, all periods

clown to the seventeenth century. But what I consider the most

interesting of these finds, from a numismatic point of view, is a large

number of cut halfpence and farthings evidently from one or more

hoards. The largest collection of these, which I have examined,

consists of about 250 pieces, brought together by the painstaking

search of a gentleman who formerly lived at Dunwich. As these little

objects turn up only at varying intervals, in small numbers, and are

mostly quite black, the difficulty of separating them from the fine

shingle and sand in which they are found will be appreciated.

So far as I can gather from those who regularly search for these

pieces, the proportion of whole pennies to cut money is at the rate of

one penny to four halves and five quarters, and they cover a period

from William I. (Hawkins 237) to Henry III.

The coins, considering their contact with saltwater, are wonderfully

preserved ; indeed, I think that until distributed on the surface, by

periodical beach scour, they must be out of reach of the action of

water and sand, and that only those which are not at once found are

at all difficult to identify. I was able, with little trouble, to identify

225 of the collection under consideration, and notwithstanding the

minuteness of many of the cut farthings, it was an easy matter to place

them under their respective kings, and in many cases even to allocate

them to their respective mints.

T h e number comprised, one quarter cut from a PKX penny of

William I. Three halves and one quarter of W illiam the Lion of

Scotland. Twopennies, three halves and six quarters of Henry II.'s

first issue. Four pennies, forty-three halves and forty-nine quarters of

Henry I I . — H e n r y III. "short cross" types. Three pennies, twenty-

five halves, and fifty-three quarters of Henry I II.'s " long cross" type.

There were also ten pennies, six round halfpennies and fifteen round

farthings of the first three Edwards and one round halfpenny of

Richard II.

In addition to these, I have seen and had, perhaps, about 100 others,


and I have no doubt there are many more in the possession of

residents of Dunwich and elsewhere.

When visiting Dunwich last winter I procured a few, among which

were some very interesting specimens, viz., a quarter of William I.

Hawkins 237, the earliest English coin I have noted in these finds. A

cut farthing of Henry I. Hawkins 265, and a specimen of a cut

halfpenny of Stephen, Hawkins 268.

Mr. Carlyon-Britton, as will be seen from the careful list of

readings of the coins which he has appended to this paper, has been

able to add two types to Henry I. ; and two types to Stephen, one of

which is amongst the rarest of the reign. All these are represented by

farthings. He also deciphers other coins for which I must refer to his

detailed list.

Most of the mints were London, Canterbury, Lincoln and

Winchester. I need hardly say that I looked very carefully for a

possible attribution to " Dunwich," but no reading upon any coin could

be taken as such.

T h e extensive period of time represented by the coins—300 years

—would seem to argue against their having been the property of a

private individual, and as all the pieces I have seen previous to the

reign of Henry II. are either halfpennies or farthings, I believe they

formed part of the same hoard and that with the possible exception of

the Edwardian " pieces," all the coins were from it. If such be the

case, this hoard must be unique from the fact of its being composed of

so great a proportion and variety of cut money.

Many of the quarters are exceedingly minute, cut down to the

merest fragment, and weighing less than one-eighth of the penny,

which is probably due to the fact that many of the pennies, especially

of the long cross type, are much clipped.

I suggest that the hoard formed part of the treasure of one of the

many monastic institutions of the ancient capital of East Anglia,

possibly that of the Grey Friars, whose crumbling ruins are now at the

edge of the cliff. The custom of small r e l i g i o u s offerings, so familiar o o o '

to us in the pathetic instance of the widow's two mites—01* stycas as

they were translated in some early English editions of the Bible, a

List of Coins found at Dunwich. 1 2 7

-custom not yet quite obsolete, may well account for the peculiar and

varied assortment I have described, in the treasure chest of a religious

house.

Notwithstanding the fact that the historians of Dunwich agree

that, in addition to its "fifty-two churches, chapels, religious houses

and hospitals," it had a mint ; it is fairly well established that it had

not a post-Conquest mint, or at any rate there is no evidence that it

had. If an Ecclesiastical mint existed its dies could not have borne the

town-name, and the only coin ever shown to me as a specimen of the

mint of Dunwich, proved to be of Durham.

I am indebted to your President, Mr. Carlyon-Britton, for the

pleasure of submitting this notice of the hoard, which I have described as

unique. I am, however, not versed in the literature on " finds," and it

may be that it is not as I have described it.

L I S T OF COINS FOUND AT DUNWICH.

WILLIAM I.

Type, Carlyon-Britton, IV, Hawkins, 237. [Plate, Fig. 1.]

Obverse. Reverse.

— LEM VHDE Cut farthing. P. Carlyon-Britton.

Type, Carlyon-Britton, V I I I ; Hawkins, 241.

— LE VLI Cut farthing. [Plate, Fig. 2.]

HENRY I.

Type, Andrew, X I ; Hawkins, IV. [Plate, Fig. 3.]

V!< R Illegible. Cut farthing. P. Carlyon-Britton.

Type, A. X I I I ; Hawkins, 265. [Plate, Fig. 4.]

VS R IL : O Cut farthing.

Type, A. X V ; Hawkins, 255. [Plate, Fig. 5.]

— HI AN : O Cut farthing. „

128 Finds of Mediceval Cut Halfpence and Farthings at Dunwic.

STEPHEN.

Obverse.

Illegible.

. I E F N

Illegible.

Type, Hawkins, 270. [Plate, Fig. 6.]

Reverse.

Illegible. Cut farthing. P. Carlyon-Britton..

Type, Hawkins, 268. [Plate, Fig. 7.]

-—— RE Cut halfpenny. „

Type, Hawkins, X V I I I .

Illegible. Cut farthing.

Illegible.

Illegible.

* ITE

Illegible.

E X

H E N R Y II .

Type, Hawkins, 2S5.

IRKN * E M :

Illegible. Illegible.

Illegible.

R E : O

ON ;

Illegible.

Penny.

j) Penny, fragment-

Cut halfpenny. [Plate, Fig. 8.] Cut halfpenny. [Plate, Fig. 9.]

Cut farthing. [Plate, Fig. 11.]

Cut farthing.

(4). [Plate, Fig. 10.]

— RIGVS • Illegible.

RGNRIGVS R 6 X KGNRIGVS I • R -

IGVS . .

RIGVS

HENRY I I . — I I I .

SHORT CROSS TYPES.

Class I.

. . . 7£RD ON Illegible.

Class II.

* . . VII • ON • LTVNDQ M • O N • . . .

* Sim • VLlTt

* R IG FTGNRI NG • ON

V N

Cut halfpenny.

Penny.

»

Cut halfpenny. [Plate, Fig. 12.] Cut halfpenny.

List of Coins found at Dunwich.

Obverse.

— NRIGVS R E X

Reverse.

- 2£H • OH • - -— VLtTE

Cut halfpenny. Cut farthing.

EGHRIGVS R6X R€[ RCt C

RIGVS R

E6HRIG — HRIGVS

— RuX RIGVS RG

EGHRIGV EGHRI EGNRIGV

— VS RG

EGHR

Class III.

* RIG - - - OH • LlV RGS•OH •

* R KG *

* R K V *

*

- H • LtV TG

DG OH WIHG

H • LtVH) * IOEKH * RGH HO

IxVHDG — H • IlVID

* TOMKS

LtVKKS

Penny.1


[Plate, Fig. 15.] Cut halfpenny.


EGHRIGVS RQX EGHR E GX - GHRIGV

Class V.

* EGHRI OH GKHT H OH GX

OH OKH

* IIxGGR O

Penny. Cut halfpenny.

— VS - GVS

Illegible. RIGVS

E S RGX - GHRIGV

SHORT-CROSS TYPES.

Unclassified.

*D71C HOR

H'HOR H • LtVH -

• RKVF • O * WIHGG

Cut halfpenny.

VOL. V.

1 D o u b l e struck.

K


Obverse.

- GNRIOV - NRIGVS

RIGV - GNR

Illegible. RIGV

NR NRI

— S RG

— GX — G

Illegible.

GVS RIG

X IGV

— NRI - GNI KGN

S R

GVS

Illegible. RG • RIG

RG

Illegible. RQ

— NRIG

VS R

— GX

GVS NRI

R €(X

R€( — VS R

— NRIG VS R

Reverse.

Illegible.

- ROBGR

N • W

N • LtV1

Illegible.

VN) R • ON

NIG GIT

N • OK — NDG

Rffi

KRD

— VNO - A N G X

Illegible. ON • Ii

PIN (?) ON

— ON

— v u • o

— ON N O S N • T -

ON • G WING

IlVN * — - RGH * W X — IGO * ROO * NOR

* IOR N • IIV

— RG ON • O

Cut halfpenny.

(3) Cut farthing.

[Plate, Fig. 19.]

Cut farthine.

[Plate, Fig. 16.] Cut farthing.


1 Broken.


Obverse.

It e x o v s

— S R

E Illegible.

e x

Reverse.

W7r * G O G

Illegible.

Cut farthing.

[Plate, Fig. 17.] Cut farthing. .

(10)

TF M W I G R - = T T ; 1

w m - L I G R - - -

s R :

s R G I

Illegible.

WILLIAM THE LION : SCOTTISH.

^ K V G W T I T R I : O

= „ W H U T S R

- i r r e

* R A V I I

Illegible.

A L T T C R

P e n n y ,

j)

Cut halfpenny. [Plate, Fig. 20.] Cut halfpenny.2


X J D 6 R

Illegible or broken.

ALEXANDER III .

LONG-CROSS TYPE.

Cut halfpenny.

„ (3)

I G V S R e x

HENRY I I I .

LONG-CROSS TYPES.

Without Sceptre.

I O N v c e

I G V S R e G M O N

R I G G X : II N I G O I L G

R G I R I G II N G 2 R U '

« R 8 I R I -

ReNJIGV

G X : I I I ' R I G

— - 1 ' V J D

I O R C A H

— 0 W 0 O A S


[Plate, Fig. 22.]

1 T h e l e g e n d t o b e r e a d r e t r o g r a d e . 3 Broken.

K 2


Obverse.

I l l e g i b l e .

I l l e g i b l e .

JSGJRIGVS RGX III' I l l e g i b l e .

S R 6 X III'

ReKtX

Rei VS R e x M

m'

R 6 J R I

v s R e x in

With Sceptre.

Reverse. RGiRI O f f l -HIGOIlQ Of LtVTD R f f l X V O O/ IxVID

W i l l K / T NIGOIie NIG V N )

tVIx V N )

O N G S 0 R (?)

m

iiexr ON ii1

O N LLVN)

Penny.

Cut halfpenny.

[Plate, Fig. 25.] Cut halfpenny. [Plate, Fig. 24.J Cut halfpenny.

- 6HRIGVS I l l e g i b l e .

RIGVS RG I G V S RG

Re Illegible. Illegible.

Illegible.

e R e ®R

RIG RIGVS RG

G V S RQX

— G N U

®R

II'

RIG IGV

RIG

: in'

III' — N I I Q

x : m

LONG-CROSS TYPES.

Unclassified.

ON l i V N

l i V N NIG V N )

T€R o m III Illegible.

or iiviD I O N

— OILQ — ii€M 0/ a RN G

Illegible.

W i l l

or o

Lt€M - RT T NIG

RGJ

- m o OH a

or G

OliG

Cut halfpenny.

[Plate, Fig. 26.3J Cut halfpenny.3

» (7) Cut farthing..

C u r i o u s o b v e r s e . C l i p p e d . B r o k e n . .


Obverse.

R0X - QHIIG

GVS R RIG

RGX GVS

IGVS e GX

« JR — — — in - VS RG - GI&I

? — mia - Htm

RIGV

- 6MI EG

R0X RIGV RIGV

GX II - GrR

RIGV X III

S RG • W

- M i a VS RG

K II VS RG

RIG

fiSIR Illegible.

Reverse.

or h

TGR

— RGN RIG

RI O T Oi

LiVN V M

TGR — R€(R w m

HII — K V T

OliG

G2ST Illegible.

0/ R OnT It

GA/r Illegible. IVN Ria RUG —- VID

VID O H

j y T e fOG

NIG o a i

i • o/ Illegible.

EDWARD I.

Cut farthing.


))

»

)}

))

})

J? »

))

[Plate, Fig. 28. J Cut farthing.


>>

J> »

))

)t jj

V

))

))

))

if »

j j »

[Plate, Fig. 29.]

Cut farthing.

» (4)

• SDWRAHGtiOHS RV8 *GDWR7rNGIj:DNS Hi/8 "t'GDWR'TENGLt DNS RVB

GIVITKS LtONDON GIVITTtS LONDON GIVITXS HOMDOH

Penny.


Obverse. • G D W R T H I

- I - G D W R T C N G I I D I I S R V 8

- F R G D W R T C N G L : D N - - - B

- F R G R T T N G M G

• G R T C N G M G

^ G R T T N G M G

Reverse. R V B G I V I T T C S - - - D O N

G I V I T T C S I L O H D O I I

G - - - T A S H O N D O N

G I V I T T C S L I O N D O N

G I V I T T C S H O N D O N

L I O N D O N I G N S I S

G I V I T A S G X N T O R

G I V I T 2 T S D V B L T L N I G

VhhK

Penny, broken. Penny.

Halfpenny, broken. Farthing.

[Plate, Fig. 31.] Farthing, worn.

„ worn. Farthing, much worn.

Farthing, broken. Penny.

Halfpenny.

Penny.

+ E D W R K H € I L D N S R V B

G D W R A N G L T D N S R I / B

G R D V S R G X

EDWARD II.

> J « G O W 7 T R 7 T N G L J ; D N S R I / B C I V I T 7 T S G 7 £ N T O R

• G D W T C R 7T G I V I - - ~ - R

EDWARD I I I .

^ G D W 3 T R D V S J R G X O T R G I X L 6 -1 G I V I T O H « ?

>i< on breast J N.B.—The upper limb of the cross terminates in a crozier head to the dexter.

- 6 D W S R D V S R Q X - - G I V I T X S H O R D O I ? Halfpenny.

[Plate, Fig. 33.] G I V I T T C S I L O R D O R Farthing.

[Plate, Fig. 32.]

EDWARD (uncertain).

Halfpenny, much worn.

• G D W 7 T R D V S R G X -

G D W

* G D D V S - -

FCGDWTTRDVS R G X 7 F

^ R K G T T R A I R G X * TTHGLT

* E G H R I G * R = - - - G L T

? Henry.

, ~ T K S - - - D O N

G I V I T T T S L O N D O N

G I V I T T C S

RICHARD II.

G I V I T T C S U O N O O N

HENRY (uncertain).

_ _ R D O R

EDWARD I V (?)

GD . N . B to dexter of King's face ? Edward.

Halfpenny, worn. Farthing.

Farthing-, much worn.

Halfpenny.

[Plate, Fig. 34.]

Halfpenny, broken.

„ worn.

Penny, much worn. Halfpenny.

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70

Shirley Fox.

T H E C R O S S A S A M I N T - M A R K .

finds of mediaeva cut halfpencl and e bnj/pdfs... · 2019-03-07 · i am indebted president to your...

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