Medieval seal dug up

A MEDIEVAL artefact belonging to a Hambleden family has been unearthed on land it once owned.

The silver seal matrix, inscribed with the name Margerie Pevrel, was found by a metal detectorist in the grounds of Henley Business School, off Marlow Road, in April last year.

The Pevrels owned land in Hambleden valley between 1248 and 1348, when the seal matrix would have been made, including the former Yewden Manor, where Greenlands now stands.

The oval item carries a design which is unique to its owner. It was used to stamp on a wax seal, which ensured documents arrived unread to the intended recipient while guaranteeing the sender’s authenticity.

Archaelogist Anni Byard, a small finds specialist for the Oxford Archaeology South consultancy, told an inquest at Buckinghamshire Coroner’s Court that its condition was almost perfect and it is declared treasure.

Records show a grandmother and granddaughter, both called Margaret or Margerie Pevrel, lived at Yewden Manor around that time.