POST MEDIEVAL MEDALLION

1642

Cast lead alloy pendant or medal dating to the Civil War period (fought 1642-1651). The pendant is octagonal, with raised cast decoration on both sides. The face is decorated with the crowned and armoured bust of Charles I facing left and holding a sceptre. Running around the edge is a double ridged border containing alternating transverse ridges and pellets. On the reverse is the inscription GOD/BLES/KING/CHARL/E[..]E, this is also surrounded by a double linear border that contains a line of pellets in the middle. At the top of the pendant are two small knops that could be the base of the truncated loop.Dr Dora Thornton, Curator of Renaissance Collections at the British Museum suggests that this is a well-known type dating to the Civil War period. Silver examples, such as an oval medal from Nocton, Lincs (LIN-99D7B1; 2003T309; TAR 2003, no. 274) with ownership arms and/or initials, suggest that these pendants were worn to show Royalist allegiance. The portrait is from Medallic Illustrations, vol. I, p. 348, no. 203.