Silver sheet disc brooch

BM 1925,0114.2

Silver disc brooch made around 875CE and found at Beeston Tor, Manifold Valley. It was amongst a hoard of coins and jewellery discovered in a cave at Beeston Tor in 1924 by Reverend GH Wilson.

This silver brooch has openwork decoration surrounded by decoration of stylised animals made on a nielloed ground – this is made by alloying the silver and sulphur. A silver pin survives so that the brooch could be worn even now, to fasten a cloak.

Brooches like this are described as having Trewhiddle decoration after the place in Cornwall where the style was first identified.

Beeston Tor is also known as St. Bertram's Cave. It has been suggested that the hoard may have been hidden here when a Viking army over-wintered nearby at Repton in around 873 or 874CE.