Breckenbrough Hoard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Breckenbrough Hoard |
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Coins from the Breckenbrough Hoard
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| Created | c. 1644 |
| Period/culture | English Civil War |
| Discovered | June 1985 Breckenbrough, North Yorkshire |
| Present location | Yorkshire Museum, York |
| Coordinates | 54°14′47″N 1°25′38″W / 54.246480°N 1.4271327°W |
| Identification | YORYM : 1993.711 |
The Breckenbrough Hoard is a special collection of gold and silver coins. These coins were hidden away around the year 1644. This was a time when England was going through a big conflict called the English Civil War.
Today, this amazing hoard is kept safe at the Yorkshire Museum in York, England. It tells us a lot about what life was like during that important historical period.
Contents
How the Hoard Was Found
The Breckenbrough Hoard was discovered by a man named Mr. C Greensit. He found it in June 1985. Mr. Greensit was working on his farm in a place called Breckenbrough. He was smoothing out the ground in a covered area where farm animals were kept.
The coins were still inside their original container. This was a pot made of ceramic, which is a type of pottery. A flat tile covered the pot, and a stone marked its spot. It was like a secret time capsule!
What is a Treasure Trove?
When something valuable like this is found, it's often called a "treasure trove." In England, if old gold or silver is found and it seems like it was hidden with the idea of getting it back later, it can be declared a treasure trove. This means it belongs to the Crown (the government).
On September 25, 1985, a special meeting called a coroner's inquest officially declared the Breckenbrough Hoard a treasure trove. After that, experts at the famous British Museum carefully studied the coins.
What Was Inside the Hoard?
The Breckenbrough Hoard contained many coins. There were 30 gold coins and a huge 1,552 silver coins! Together, they were worth about £93 and 5 shillings at the time they were hidden. That was a lot of money back then!
All these coins were stored in a special pot. This pot was made from a type of pottery known as Ryedale ware. It was a common kind of pottery made in that area.
Coins from Different Places
Not all the coins were from England. The hoard included:
- 33 coins from Scotland
- 35 coins from Ireland
- 12 coins from Spain
This shows that people in England during the Civil War traded with or received money from other countries.
Surprising Receipts
The hoard also held something very unusual: two paper receipts! These receipts were for cheese that had been taken by the Royalist Army. The Royalists were one of the main groups fighting in the English Civil War. They were loyal to King Charles I.
These receipts were dated January 17, 1644. They were signed by John Guy, who was in charge of getting supplies for the Royalist soldiers in York. Finding these receipts with the coins gives us a rare peek into the daily life and challenges of the war. It shows how armies needed to gather food and supplies.
