Wiltshire Medieval Cross Ring | Museum Quality Reproduction | Hand-Cast Replica

Crafted for the Present:

• Museum-Quality Replica: An authentic 1:1 historical reproduction cast directly from the original British artifact.

• Bench-Made to Order: Hand-forged to your exact specifications at our Leeds Corn Exchange workshop. Preserving the past, forging the future.

• Guaranteed Authenticity: Independently tested and legally hallmarked by the UK Assay Office in your choice of Solid Silver, 9ct, or 18ct Gold.

The History of the Find:

Period: 14th – 15th Century (High Medieval)

Find Location: Wiltshire, UK

Style: Circular bezel with incised “Cross Patonce” and radiating lines

Significance of the Design:

• This ring features a Cross Patonce – a cross with arms that expand and then terminate in three points, similar to a fleur-de-lis. In the Medieval mindset, this style of cross symbolized the “flourishing” of faith and was often associated with high-status heraldry and religious devotion.

  Surrounding the cross are radiating linear scores, intended to represent the “Light of the World” or divine radiance.

  The shoulders of the ring are also heavily decorated with vertical grooves, a technique used to give the bronze a shimmering, multi-faceted appearance that would have mimicked the expensive gold “filigree” work worn by the nobility. In a period where Wiltshire was a hub of pilgrimage and ecclesiastical power, wearing a ring such as this was a bold statement of both social standing and Christian piety.

The Find: 

Discovered by a metal detectorist in Wiltshire, the original artifact still bears the “gold-coloured” ghost of its original mercury gilding. This was a process where a gold and mercury amalgam was applied to the bronze and heated, leaving a thin, durable layer of real gold. This shows that the ring was intended to look like solid gold, signalling that its original owner was a person of significant local means – perhaps a prosperous farmer or a minor member of the gentry.

Weight by Metal (approximate, varies by ring size):

• Sterling Silver (925): 4.0g

• 9ct Gold: 4.3g

• 18ct Gold: 5.9g

• Platinum: 8.0g