Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T05:50:36.479Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

LOVE, ALLEGIANCE AND WEALTH IN FIFTEENTH-CENTURY WALES: THE RAGLAN RING AND ITS CONTEXT

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 June 2022

Mark Redknap
Mark Redknap*
Affiliation:
Department of History and Archaeology, Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP, UK. Email: mark.redknap@museumwales.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In 1998 a massive gold signet ring was found by metal detecting in the parish of Raglan, Monmouthshire (Gwent), close to Raglan Castle. Now generally known as the Raglan ring, it is a remarkable example of late medieval goldsmiths’ work. This paper considers its motifs, legend, date and stylistic affinities. Its findspot is close to the castle-building programme at Raglan continued by William Herbert (executed 1469), who projected his position as premier supporter of the House of York in a variety of ways. Possible ownership is discussed, as is its wider context (including newly discovered signet rings from Wales).

Keywords

treasureRaglanfinger ringWilliam HerbertflowersgoldsmithsBattle of Edgcote (1469)
Type
Research paper
Information
The Antiquaries Journal , Volume 102 , September 2022 , pp. 206 - 227
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Society of Antiquaries of London

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Primary sources

BNF, ms Fr. 331, fol 139vGoogle Scholar
Cardiff Central Library, Phillipps ms 5.7Google Scholar
Getty, ms Ludwig xiii 7 (83.MP.150), fol 277vGoogle Scholar
NLW, Badminton Estate Records, deeds 232, 1358, 1359, https://archives.library.wales/downloads/badminton-estate-records.pdf (accessed 14 October 2021)Google Scholar
NLW, Llangibby Castle Deeds and Documents, C 899Google Scholar
NLW, Milborne Family Papers and Documents, no. 313, https://archives.library.wales/downloads/milborne-family-papers-and-documents.pdf (accessed 14 October 2021)Google Scholar
V&A, Playfair Hours, ms L.475-1918Google Scholar

Secondary sources

Addyman, P V 2013. ‘Sir Arthur Ingram’s Ring’, in Klingelhofer, E (ed), A Glorious Empire: archaeology and the Tudor-Stuart Atlantic world, 12–16, Oxbow Books, Oxford and Oakville Google Scholar
Amin, N 2014. ‘Sir Walter Herbert of Raglan’, The Henry Tudor Society, https://henrytudorsociety.com/2014/07/07/sir-walter-herbert-of-raglan/ (accessed 11 October 2021)Google Scholar
Anon 1863. ‘Antiquities and works of art exhibited’, Archaeol J, 20, 192–6Google Scholar
Cherry, J 1973. ‘The medieval jewellery from the Fishpool, Nottinghamshire, hoard’, Archaeologia, 104, 307–21CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cherry, J 1994. The Middleham Jewel and Ring, The Yorkshire Museum, York Google Scholar
Cherry, J 1995. ‘The rings of John Stanbury and Richard Mayo, Bishops of Hereford’, in Whitehead, D (ed), Medieval Art, Architecture and Archaeology at Hereford, Brit Archaeol Ass Conference Trans XV, 150–6, Maney, LeedsGoogle Scholar
Cherry, J 2003a. ‘252 The Godstow ring’, in Marks and Williamson 2003, 371Google Scholar
Cherry, J 2003b. ‘251 Bishop Stanbury of Hereford’s ring’, in Marks and Williamson 2003, 371Google Scholar
Cherry, J 2003c. ‘97 Ring with bear and ragged staff’, in Marks and Williamson 2003, 232Google Scholar
Clark, A 2005. ‘Raglan Castle, Monmouthshire, Wales NP15, county of Monmouthshire: a landscape survey’, unpublished report, December, MoLAS, London Google Scholar
Craster, O E 1963. ‘Hen Gwrt moated site, Llantilio Crossenny, Monmouthshire’, Archaeologia Cambrensis, 112, 159–83Google Scholar
Dalton, O M 1912. Catalogue of the Finger Rings early Christian, Byzantine, Teutonic, Medieval and Later, British Museum, London Google Scholar
Davis, W and Jones, J (eds) 1837. Gwaith Lewis Glyn Cothi/The Poetical Works of Lewis Glyn Cothi, Cymmrodorion Society, OxfordGoogle Scholar
DCMS 2004. Treasure Annual Report 2002, Department for Culture Media and Sport, London, http://finds.org.uk/documents/treasurereports/2002.pdf (accessed 11 October 2021)Google Scholar
Drimmer, S 2011. ‘73: John Lydgate, Troy Book and Siege of Thebes, with verses by William Cornish, John Skelton, William Peeris and others’, in S McKendrick, J Lowden, K Doyle et al, Royal Manuscripts: the genius of illumination, 248–9, The British Library, London Google Scholar
Evans, D Foster 2013. ‘William Herbert of Raglan (d. 1469): family history and personal identity’, in D Foster Evans, Lewis, B J and Parry Owen, A (eds), ‘Gwalch Cywyddau Gwⓨr’: Ysgrifau ar Guto’r Glyn a Chymru’r Bymthegfed Ganrif/Essays on Guto’r Glyn and Fifteenth-century Wales, 83–102, Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, Aberystwyth Google Scholar
Evans, G 2019. The Battle of Edgcote 1469: re-evaluating the evidence, Northamptonshire Battlefields Society, NorthamptonGoogle Scholar
Evans, H T 1995. Wales and the Wars of the Roses, Alan Sutton, Stroud Google Scholar
Fisher, C 2004. Flowers in Medieval Manuscripts, The British Library, London Google Scholar
Gairdner, J (ed) 1858. Memorials of Henry VII, Rolls Series 10, Historia Regis Henrici Septimi a Bernardo Andrea Tholosate Conscripta, LondonGoogle Scholar
Gierveld, A J 1997. ‘Tegels op Walcheren’, Tegel, 27, 2–23 Google Scholar
Griffiths, R A 1972. The Principality of Wales in the Later Middle Ages. The Structure and Personnel of Government I: South Wales 1277–1536, University of Wales Press, Cardiff Google Scholar
Griffiths, R A 2008. ‘Lordship and society in the fifteenth century’, in R A Griffiths, Hopkins, T and Howell, R (eds), The Gwent County History Volume 2: the age of the marcher lords, c. 1070–1536, 241–79, University of Wales Press, Cardiff Google Scholar
Harrod, H 1866. ‘On the mantle and the ring of widowhood’, Archaeologia, 40, 307–10Google Scholar
Harthan, J 1977. Books of Hours, Thames & Hudson, London Google Scholar
Hindman, S 2007. Toward an Art History of Medieval Finger Rings: a private collection, Paul Holberton Publishing, London Google Scholar
Husband, T B 1992. ‘The Winteringham Tau Cross and Ignis Sacer’, Metropolitan Museum J, 27, 19–35 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Husband, T B 1999. ‘Catalogue entry 249: the Winteringham Tau Cross’, in Wixom, W D (ed), Mirror of the Medieval World, 206, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York Google Scholar
Johnston, D R 1995. Gwaith Lewys Glyn Cothi, University of Wales Press, Cardiff Google Scholar
Kenyon, J R 2003. Raglan Castle, Cadw, Cardiff Google Scholar
Kingsford, H S 1929. ‘The epigraphy of medieval English seals’, Archaeologia, 79, 149–78Google Scholar
Kren, T and McKendrick, S 2003. Illuminating the Renaissance: the triumph of Flemish manuscript painting in Europe, Oxford University Press, Oxford Google Scholar
Lewis, B 2011. ‘The Battle of Edgecote or Banbury (1469) through the eyes of contemporary Welsh poets’, J Medieval Hist, 9, 97–117 Google Scholar
Lewis, B 2014. ‘Poetry and patronage in late medieval Wales: the case of William Herbert of Raglan (d. 1469)’, Monmouthshire Antiq, 30, 15–30 Google Scholar
Lewis, J M 1999. The Medieval Tiles of Wales: census of medieval tiles in Britain, National Museums and Galleries of Wales, Cardiff Google Scholar
Marks, R and Williamson, P (eds) 2003. Gothic: art for England 1400–1547, V&A, LondonGoogle Scholar
Merewether, J 1844. ‘Account of the discovery of the episcopal rings of John Stanbery and Richard Mayo, Bishops of Hereford, during the progress of recent works of restoration at Hereford Cathedral’, Archaeologia, 31, 249–53CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Oman, C C 1930. Catalogue of Rings: Victoria & Albert Museum, Department of Metalwork, V&A, LondonGoogle Scholar
Redknap, M 2007. ‘321. Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire: silver gilt pendant (PAS NMGW-9E8024; Treasure: Wales 07.7)’, In Portable Antiquities and Treasure Annual Report 2007, 140, PAS, DCMS and British Museum, London, https://finds.org.uk/documents/treasurereports/2007.pdf (accessed 11 October 2021)Google Scholar
Robinson, J 2008. Masterpieces: medieval art, British Museum Press, London Google Scholar
Scott, K L 1996. Later Gothic Manuscripts 1390–1490: a survey of manuscripts illuminated in the British Isles, Vol 6, Harvey Miller Publications, London Google Scholar
Siddons, M P 1991–3. The Development of Welsh Heraldry, Vol 2, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth Google Scholar
Siddons, M P 2009. Heraldic Badges in England and Wales. Vol 3: ordinaries, Boydell Press, Woodbridge Google Scholar
Taylor, A J 1950. Raglan Castle Monmouthshire, HMSO, London Google Scholar
Taylor, G and Scarisbrick, D 1978. Finger Rings from Ancient Egypt to the Present Day, Lund Humphries, London Google Scholar
Thomas, D H 1967. ‘The Herberts of Raglan as supporters of the House of York in the second half of the fifteenth century’, unpublished MA thesis, University of Cardiff Google Scholar
Thomas, D H 1994. The Herberts of Raglan and the Battle of Edgecote 1469, Freezywater Publications, Enfield Google Scholar
Watson, R 1984. The Playfair Hours: a late fifteenth century illuminated manuscript from Rouen, V&A, London Google Scholar
Woolgar, C M 2006. The Senses in Late Medieval England, Yale University Press, New Haven and London Google Scholar