Help to keep a rare Saxon find within the Chichester District

The Novium Museum is asking for help to save an important piece of local historic treasure, through the launch of a new crowd funding campaign, which is now live and will run until 21 November 2024.

The rare Anglo-Saxon gold and garnet pyramidical sword mount, which was discovered in 2022 near Stopham in the Chichester District, dates back to AD 600-700 and is only the second of its kind to be found in West Sussex.

The only other example of this type of sword mount was acquired by the British Museum in 1981. However, this first find was incomplete, making the Stopham mount a very rare and incredibly important discovery for the area. 

The Stopham mount, which measures 16.14 mm in height, was likely attached to a strap that would have helped secure a sword to its scabbard (or sheath). Each side of the mount is intricately decorated with an almost identical design of gold 'cells' that are set with plate and bar garnets and then mounted over waffle stamped gold foils. The number and complexity of the cells make a beautiful design and add to the historical value.

Thanks to an Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, and a donation from the landowner, The Novium Museum is one step away from acquiring this unique piece of local history. It is hoped that the museum can raise the remaining £9,000 needed to purchase the find through a new crowdfunding campaign. If successful, this will enable the museum to keep this local treasure within the district and display it for the local and wider community to enjoy.

"It's so important to keep this rare find within the Chichester District and accessible to local residents, visitors and researchers," says Councillor John Cross, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Place at Chichester District Council. "This is an incredibly important discovery for the local area, with wonderful potential for further research, education and display for the wider community to appreciate for generations to come.

"The mount would also really enhance the museum's offering for local school groups. The addition of the Stopham mount to the museum's current Saxon history workshop would add another dimension, enabling the museum's learning team to further explore concepts such as wealth, status, gender roles, warfare, among others, for the benefit of participating Key Stage 2 pupils."

If the museum is unable to raise the funding needed to purchase the mount, it will be offered to the British Museum. Should the British Museum decline the opportunity to purchase the find, the mount could be sold privately.

John adds: "We believe that this scenario would be a tragic loss for our local heritage. This could result in the find being relocated out of the local area, where it may not be publicly accessible, and could potentially result in fewer opportunities for researchers to conduct studies on the piece.

If successful in crowdfunding, the local treasure would be displayed in the museum's first-floor gallery, within an area dedicated to Saxon history. The gallery is free of charge to visit, making the piece accessible to all. 

The crowdfunding campaign will run until Thursday 21 November 2024. To find out more, and to donate towards keeping the Stopham mount within the Chichester District, please visit: www.thenovium.org.uk/stophamtreasure. A number of rewards are available when donating in support of the crowdfunding campaign, including a talk on Anglo-Saxons in Sussex, and a private tour of the museum and its social history store.