What Is a Medieval Stirrup Ring? History and Gemstones

A Medieval stirrup ring is recognised by its raised bezel, which rises from the hoop in a pointed or arched form. The outline resembles a riding stirrup, giving this distinctive family of rings its modern name.

Stirrup rings were especially prominent during the High Middle Ages. Their elevated settings were designed to hold a small gemstone above the finger, allowing colour and light to become the visual focus of the ring.

Why is it called a stirrup ring?

The name describes the ring’s shape rather than its purpose. Viewed from the side, the hoop and raised bezel can resemble the outline of a stirrup.

The Medieval wearer would not necessarily have used the same name. Modern historians, museums and collectors use “stirrup ring” as a convenient description for rings with this characteristic raised profile.

The height of the setting gave even a relatively small stone a strong presence. It also produced a clear silhouette that distinguishes the design from flatter signets and simple band rings.

When were stirrup rings worn?

Stirrup-shaped rings are particularly associated with the 12th, 13th and 14th centuries, although individual examples vary in date and construction.

Some surviving rings are plain and restrained. Others include engraved inscriptions, decorated shoulders, paired bezels or complex symbolic details. The shared feature is the raised setting rising from the hoop.

The British Museum records a gold stirrup ring with a sapphire dated to the 13th–14th century. Its simple form shows how strongly the stone and raised profile could define the entire design.

Were stirrup rings religious?

Some stirrup rings have been connected with bishops, clergy and religious burials, but the form was not exclusively ecclesiastical.

A remarkable 13th-century sapphire ring found at Hatfield Forest combines a stirrup-shaped hoop with dragons, clasped hands and an inscription identifying it as a token of love. The British Museum describes it as a secular lover’s gift rather than a religious ring.

This demonstrates why the form alone cannot prove who wore a particular ring or what it meant. A stirrup ring could carry religious, romantic, social or personal significance depending upon its details and circumstances.

What gemstones were used in Medieval stirrup rings?

Surviving examples show that stirrup rings could hold sapphires, rubies, turquoise and other coloured stones. More accessible versions could use coloured glass or paste in place of a precious gemstone.

The British Museum also holds a Late Medieval double-bezel stirrup ring set with ruby and turquoise. Its paired stones were interpreted as symbolising two lovers side by side.

Gemstones in Medieval jewellery could be valued for their rarity, colour, beauty and possible symbolic or protective associations. Those meanings were not fixed in one universal system, and the reason a specific wearer selected a particular stone is rarely recorded.

Why are the original stones often missing?

A gemstone may be lost while a ring is being worn, during burial or during the centuries the object remains in the ground. Settings can become bent, worn or damaged, allowing the stone to separate from the metal.

This means an excavated ring can preserve the shape of its setting without retaining the gemstone it originally held. The empty bezel shows that a stone was intended, but it does not always reveal what that stone was.

When no reliable evidence survives, selecting one definite gemstone for the original ring would be speculation.

The Wiltshire Medieval Stirrup Ring

The Medieval Stirrup Ring is an exact historical reproduction of a genuine 12th–13th-century find discovered in Wiltshire.

Its raised bezel preserves the strong profile characteristic of High Medieval stirrup rings. The original gemstone was missing when the artefact was discovered, leaving the setting as evidence that the ring was once intended to carry colour and sparkle.

The reproduction retains the surviving form, proportions and surface character of the Wiltshire find. A new gemstone is then selected and hand-set so the ring can once again be worn in the manner its raised bezel suggests.

Ruby, sapphire, emerald or diamond?

The Wiltshire reproduction can be set with ruby, sapphire, emerald or diamond. These are modern choices offered for the new ring; they are not presented as proof of which gemstone the excavated Wiltshire artefact originally contained.

Ruby gives the ring a deep red focal point.
Sapphire introduces a rich blue associated with many surviving Medieval gemstone rings.
Emerald provides a strong green contrast against silver, gold or platinum.
Diamond creates a clear, light-reflecting centre while keeping the raised historical form dominant.

The stones are cut and fitted at the bench to suit the character of the setting rather than forcing the ring to accept a perfectly standard modern shape.

Choosing silver, gold or platinum

The Medieval Stirrup Ring is available in sterling silver, 9ct gold, 18ct gold and platinum.

Sterling silver produces a bright white ring and provides a strong contrast with coloured gemstones. Gold adds warmth, with 9ct and 18ct offering different colour, weight and precious-metal content. Platinum retains a naturally white appearance and gives the ring greater physical weight.

The choice of metal changes the appearance and feel of the finished piece while preserving the raised profile taken from the original Wiltshire find.

Can a stirrup ring be an engagement ring?

The raised gemstone setting makes the stirrup ring a natural historical alternative to a conventional engagement ring. Its appeal lies in the simplicity of the hoop, the strong Medieval silhouette and the direct connection to a genuine British find.

Because the setting stands above the finger, it should be considered alongside any wedding ring that will eventually sit beside it. A straight wedding band may leave a small gap, which some wearers enjoy as part of the ring’s historical character.

See why choose a historical engagement ring and our guide to choosing a historical wedding ring.

Exact historical reproduction, individually hand-cast in Leeds

The original Wiltshire artefact is pressed directly into casting sand, allowing its surviving form, wear and surface detail to pass into the new precious-metal ring.

Each piece is individually hand-cast, sized and finished at our workshop inside the Leeds Corn Exchange. The selected gemstone is cut where required and set by hand at the bench.

Qualifying precious-metal pieces are independently tested and hallmarked by the London Assay Office.

Explore the Medieval jewellery collection, browse the Bridal & Engagements collection, or discover more Medieval rings found in Britain.