The gallery below is a brief assessment of a number of small finds handed in by various people over a number of years to what is now the Ancient Cwmbran Society Limited.  The finds were found within and around the town of Cwmbran.  It was not possible to identify any of the find spots with a modern location as the finds were handed in over a lengthy time-span by various individuals mainly with a view to having them identified if that were possible and left as donations to the society.

 

  The assemblage was comprised of:-

 

2 copper alloy watch key /winders

2 copper alloy fastners

1 chap 

1 copper alloy cross marked E.C.M.S. and verso ALL IN ONE   

6 buckles (all in one bag) in poor condition:-  5 copper alloy , 1 iron,  1 buckle pin

 2 possible buckle plates:-  1 oblong  1 square  

2 plain rings/ washers   

1 lead bag seal & a possible lead bag seal   

10 modern copper coins(in one bag):- 4 pennies, 2 half-pennies, 3 farthings, 1 three penny bit  

 63 unidentifiable /heavily degraded roman coins, mainly silver

 7 coins unidentified and all in one bag :- 1 silver , 6 copper alloy

 7 buttons, largely Victorian; 

4 copper alloy escutcheons. Plate 1.

 

  The Society has decided that these small finds should be offered to the local museum at Pontypool where they can be properly conserved and if suitable be put on display to the general public.  However, prior to this, the society feels that the membership should be afforded a chance to view the assemblage before its deposition at the museum.   Members  and  non-members have the chance of viewing the assemblage at our website.  It is hoped that this will cater for those who may never find their way to Pontypool Museum.  Of the assemblage the collection of buckles were considered the most interesting consequently some research into their origins was conducted on behalf of the Society and is summarised below,

 

We would like to thank Mr David Hingley for  assisting in the finds interpretation.

 

All content on this page ©R Burchell 2014.  

 

[1] Whitehead, Ross (2003) Buckles 1250-1800 Greenlight Publishing, Witham Essex

[1] Ibid.