Discovered in 1968 buried in a field between Welford and Sulby this silver cup has been identified as a a Tudor grace cup - a domestic, ceremonial drinking cup passed around the table after prayers were said. It is London hallmarked silver and dated 1518 to 1519, likely made by Robert Amadas, goldsmith to King Henry VIII.
The cup has been restored by the British Museum so that you can see the Latin inscription, which reads ‘The word, O Lord, lasts forever’.
It is unclear how it came to be buried in farmland in Northamptonshire. It may be related to the presence nearby of Sulby Abbey, a Premonstratensian monastery, a religious order of canons regular in the Catholic Church. It was perhaps hidden by the friars during the dissolution of the monasteries when Henry VIII seized the abbey, its land and valuables in 1538. Alternatively it could be evidence of the looting during times of unrest. The Battle of Naseby, turning point in the English Civil War was fought just two miles from Welford and in the run up to the battle in June 1645 many Northamptonshire villages were plundered by soldiers from both sides.
Number 49 of the objects selected for the A History of Northamptonshire in 100 Objects exhibition 2025.
There is limited evidence of Viking influence in Northamptonshire and despite being minted during Viking rule this silver coin from Northampton depicts an Anglo-Saxon king.
© The Trustees of the British Museum
©
NMAG
©
NMAG
©
Victoria and Albert Museum
©
NMAG