A gleam of gold in the earth led to a dramatic historical discovery in Norfolk, England, when seasoned metal detector Malcolm Weale found an 18th-century mourning ring purported to commemorate a deceased British nobleman. The ornate gold and enamel band was unearthed in August in a field near Thetford after 18 months of searching by Weale.

Post-medieval mourning ring. Credit: Norfolk County Council/CC-BY SA

The ring bears the Latin inscription within it: “B.G. Bart. ob: 10. Oct: 1723. aet: 56,” or “B.G. Baronet, died on 10 October 1723, aged 56.” Experts at the British Museum, working through the UK’s Portable Antiquities Scheme, have confirmed that the object was most likely created in memory of Sir Bᴀssingbourne Gawdy, the third Baronet of Harling. Sir Bᴀssingbourne, a sportsman described in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography as a “rackety” bachelor, died in a hunting accident during that year.

Mourning bands are a form of commemorative jewelry that enjoyed popularity in England from the 16th century to the Victorian period. Historian Helen Geake noted that these objects were occasionally ornamented with inscriptions and symbols such as skulls, which were used as “memento mori” reminders of death. Interestingly, the skull design of the Gawdy ring is not simply engraved but crafted using two-tone enamel set inside an oval depression on the surface of the band, giving it a very distinctive and haunting appearance.

The British Museum noted the ring’s size suggests that it was possibly made for a woman or someone young, although who originally commissioned it is unknown. While Sir Bᴀssingbourne died unmarried and without a direct heir, the ring made its way into the soil of Norfolk many centuries ago, likely lost.

Post-medieval mourning ring (view of inscription). Credit: Norfolk County Council/CC-BY SA

Declared treasure under the Treasure Act of 1996 at Norfolk Coroner’s Court, the ring will be sent to the British Museum for ᴀssessment.

It’s not Weale’s first remarkable find. Having started metal detecting at the age of seven, he has an amazing array of finds to his name, including medieval coins, Roman hoards, and even the only previously recorded Viking penny minted for Guthrum — a warlord who ruled East Anglia in the late 9th century after being converted to Christianity.

The Gawdy family itself has deep roots in English history. Sir Bᴀssingbourne was described as a descendant of the French knight Sir Brews Gawdey, who was captured during the Hundred Years’ War in 1352. Sir Brews was naturalized and settled in Suffolk after being captured, although the estate of Gawdy Hall later became more predominant in Norfolk, north of the River Waveney.