Acquisitions by the Friends of Henfield Museum
Here we see a selection of objects acquired for the museum collection by the Friends of Henfield Museum, funded by membership fees, donations and proceeds of merchandise produced by the Friends.
Bronze Axe Palstave Axe Hoard
Imagine the wild landscapes of Bronze Age Henfield 3000 years ago, with vast stretches of woodland and a few patches of crops alongside the circles of roundhouses. Our village ridgeline looked down over the wide, tidal marshlands of the river - whatever name the people of the day may have had for the Adur. Nearby, a person whose name is also long forgotten knelt down to bury a horde of treasure... A finely crafted palstave copper-alloy axe head of c. 1400BC along with 17 pieces of associated ingot chunks and casting waste.
On Wed 19th April 2023 we put the axe hoard on public display for the first time and invited speakers to add to the picture. Our thanks to the finder Margaret Parnell who talked about her experience of discovery - and metal detecting in the local area more generally, also displaying a wide collection of her other finds. Our Chairman Robert Gordon introduced the general context, some item specifics and our plans for preservation, while Friend Andrew Sharp spoke about the casting process used to form such an object.
On Wed 19th April 2023 we put the axe hoard on public display for the first time and invited speakers to add to the picture. Our thanks to the finder Margaret Parnell who talked about her experience of discovery - and metal detecting in the local area more generally, also displaying a wide collection of her other finds. Our Chairman Robert Gordon introduced the general context, some item specifics and our plans for preservation, while Friend Andrew Sharp spoke about the casting process used to form such an object.
|
|
1820 Painting of Henfield Church
This painting, by the mysterious 'MS', was acquired by the Friends in 2022. It is amongst the earliest images of St. Peter's and shows a villager resting in front of a hedge. The clear line of sight across to the church (past some notable trees) has since been obscured by 20th century development, but in the millennium after the church's founding in 770AD, clear views towards this main feature of the village would have been had from several directions.
St. Peter's Church, Henfield, 1820, by MS. Image: Henfield Museum
17th Century Trade Tokens
These bronze tokens from the late Commonwealth/early Restoration era were produced by two entrepreneurial local shopkeepers in the village for sole use in their establishments, at a time when the Royal Mint was producing insufficient numbers of low denomination coins.
For a look into the Henfield of the later 1600s when they were minted, read our blog 'Moments in Time': Trade Tokens', by Robert Gordon, or for a deep dive into the history of trade tokens and some of the surviving records on the families involved, read our guest blog by Geoffrey Barber: 'The Two 17th Century Merchant Tokens Issued at Henfield, West Sussex: Elizabeth Trunnell (1657) and Thomas Pilfold (1668)'.
For a look into the Henfield of the later 1600s when they were minted, read our blog 'Moments in Time': Trade Tokens', by Robert Gordon, or for a deep dive into the history of trade tokens and some of the surviving records on the families involved, read our guest blog by Geoffrey Barber: 'The Two 17th Century Merchant Tokens Issued at Henfield, West Sussex: Elizabeth Trunnell (1657) and Thomas Pilfold (1668)'.
Henfield Trade Tokens
1680-90 Bishop Mark
A fine example of an early postmark, seen to the left of the wax seal on the front of this envelope addressed to John Hay, the Earl of Tweeddale at his London address. This technique was devised by Henfield's Henry Bishopp*, a Royalist who took on the role of Postmaster General after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. In Bishopp's own words of 1661: 'A stamp is invented that is putt upon every letter shewing the day of the moneth that every letter comes to the office, so that no Letter Carryer may dare detayne a letter from post to post; which before was usual.'
To read more about Henry's story, visit his Henfieldians Past page.
*Prior to standardisation, there were many spellings of Bishopp's name, although this form appears to have been most commonly used.
To read more about Henry's story, visit his Henfieldians Past page.
*Prior to standardisation, there were many spellings of Bishopp's name, although this form appears to have been most commonly used.
