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Two metal detectorists discovered a 14th-century gold seal ring, featuring an engraved griffin, on April Fool’s Day in West Suffolk. The ring is expected to sell for over £10,000 at auction. Engineering lecturer Mr Pizzey found the artifact after searching three fields; it may have belonged to Matilda of Lancaster, a historical figure who became countess of Ulster and later a canoness at Campsey Priory.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On April Fool’s Day 2024, engineering lecturer Aaron Pizzey and his friend James Race found an extremely rare 14th-century Medieval gold seal ring worth over £10,000 in a ploughed field near Stoke Ash in West Suffolk. The discovery came after two fruitless days of searching due to a faulty metal detector headset that Pizzey was about to discard. Using their Minelab Nox 800 detectors, they made the find just 30 seconds into searching a third field on April Fool’s Day. The ring is engraved with the image of a griffin and inscribed in lombardic script as “GRIFFVnMATILIELEMATILIOVR,” possibly translating to "griffin Matilda, maternal countess," suggesting it belonged to Matilda of Lancaster, who became Countess of Ulster. The ring will be auctioned by Noonans Mayfair.
Written for “Medieval Gold Ring Discovery Auction” on 2026-10-06,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
A gold ring unearthed by two metal detectorists on April Fool’s Day in 2024 is expected to fetch more than £10,000 at auction.
asserted
ring → unearth → auction
Engineering lecturer Mr Pizzey, who works at a college in West Suffolk, said he had been about to throw away a “faulty headset” before they struck lucky.
asserted
they → work → headset
“That morning had proved fruitless on the first two fields we had searched, so we tried one more field,” said Mr Pizzey.
asserted
Pizzey → prove → field
“Thirty seconds later my Minelab Nox 800 gave a cracking signal, digging down I saw in a clod of earth the colour of gold.
asserted
I → give → gold
“Then he saw me waving holding the seal (ring) with a big grin on my face.
asserted
me → see → face
The 14th century Medieval gold seal ring of Matilda is described by auctioneers Noonans Mayfair as “extremely rare”.
asserted
ring → describe → Mayfair
Nigel Mills, consultant to Noonans, said: “The seal ring has a Medieval carnelian intaglio engraved with the image of a Griffin walking to the left, set in the centre of the gold oval bezel which has a flat border inscribed in lombardic script “GRIFFVnMATILIELEMATILIOVR” which may translate as ‘griffin Matilda the maternal countess’.
uncertain
which → say → Matilda
“This could suggest the ring belonged to Matilda of Lancaster who became countess of Ulster.
uncertain
who → suggest → Ulster
“In 1347-8 she became a canoness of the Augustinian Campsey Priory just 20 miles from where the ring was found.”
asserted
ring → become → Priory
The two friends declared the ring to the local finds liaison officer to be recorded and will split the proceeds of sale with the landowner.
asserted
ring → declare → landowner
They plan to spend their portion of the money on a new detector and home renovations.
asserted
They → plan → detector
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