The Stopham Saxon Mount

In 2022 a rare Anglo-Saxon gold and garnet pyramidal mount was found by a metal detectorist near Stopham. The piece dates to AD 600-700 and is only the second of its kind found in West Sussex.

The only other example of this type of pyramidal mount found in West Sussex was acquired by the British Museum in 1981. This example was incomplete, making the Stopham mount a very rare and incredibly important find for the local area. 

A huge thank you! 

Thanks to overwhelming community support, The Novium Museum in Chichester will now be the home of a unique Anglo-Saxon gold and garnet pyramidical sword mount.

With your help, we successfully raised the funds required to purchase this local treasure, keeping it within Chichester District and ensuring its accessibility for the wider community to appreciate for generations to come. 

The community response was extraordinary, with 166 donations to the crowdfunding page. We also received a generous offline donation exceeding the target - at the donor's request, any surplus funds will contribute towards additional costs related to the conservation and display of the find, ensuring that it's preserved and enjoyed for generations to come.

This has been a true community effort, and we are immensely grateful to everyone who supported our campaign to keep this rare treasure in the Chichester District. We extend a special thank you to our anonymous donor for their incredible generosity. As our first crowdfunding campaign, the public response has been remarkable - not only in monetary donations but also in the kind messages received, and those who have shared our campaign.

About the Stopham Saxon Mount

The mount, which measures 16.14 mm in height, was likely attached to a strap which helped secure a sword to its scabbard.

The mount has a square base with rounded corners, and four main triangular faces forming a flat top. Each side is decorated with an almost identical intricate design of gold cells set with plate and bar garnets mounted over waffle stamped gold foils. The number and complex arrangement of the cells make it both aesthetically pleasing and adds historical value. 

The base of the mount comprises an openwork thick gold sheet, pierced with two half-round apertures divided by a central bar under which a strap could be threaded. 

Why is this piece important?

Only one other incomplete example of this type of mount has previously been found in West Sussex. This makes this second discovery very rare and an incredibly important find for the local area, with wonderful potential for both display and further research for the wider community to appreciate for generations to come. 

Other pyramidal mounts have been found nationally, notably the Sutton Hoo and Staffordshire Hoard assemblages, however this example is complex due to the animal heads represented on the sides of the piece.  

The Stopham mount carries huge potential for further research, which will allow discussions to continue regarding the purpose of these objects and the symbolism with which they are often adorned. 

Why did we crowdfund? 

It's important to keep this rare find within Chichester District and accessible to local residents, visitors and researchers. 

With support from the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and a donation from the landowner, we needed to raise an additional £9000 to acquire this unique piece of local history.

By acquiring this piece, it will be preserved in a public collection, complementing and enriching our existing archaeology collection and will allow researchers access to continue its study to try and gain a better understanding of Anglo-Saxon Chichester. 

We already offer workshops on the Saxon history of Sussex for Key Stage 2 (ages 7 - 11 years) in line with the current national curriculum. These workshops utilise our collections to piece together the story of life in Sussex during Saxon times. The addition of the Stopham mount will bring another dimension to these workshops, enabling our learning team to further explore concepts such as wealth, status, gender roles, warfare and other such topics with visiting students.

With the funds secured, we will now make plans to bring the mount to the museum. Once acquired, the piece undergo conservation before it is displayed in The Novium Museum's first-floor gallery, an area dedicated to Saxon history and free of charge to visit.