A ring created in memory of Sir Richard Rainsford, a judge who presided over some of the last witch trials held in England, is headed to auction at Noonans Mayfair in London. It will be part of the “Jewellery, Watches, and Objects of Vertu” auction on March 26. (Image courtesy of Noonans)
London—A man using a metal detector near Northampton, England, unearthed a more than 300-year-old ring that will soon head to auction at Noonans Mayfair in London.
In January 2020, Steve Pulley, who took up metal detecting more than 50 years ago, uncovered a ring from the 1680s in Brafield-on-the-Green, just outside of Northampton.
The piece turned out to be one of several memorial rings commissioned following the death of Sir Richard Rainsford, a judge who presided over some of the last witch trials held in England.
Rainsford (c. 1605–1680) served in several high-ranking positions throughout his life, including as a member of parliament in Northampton, according to the auction house.
A portrait of Sir Richard Rainsford (Image courtesy of the Benchers of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn)
In April 1676, he was appointed chief justice of the king’s bench.
Frances Noble, head of the jewelry department at Noonans, described Rainsford’s role in the witch trials and how the memorial rings came to be.
“Whilst the hysteria about witchcraft of the early 17th century had passed, in [the] 1670s, the wealthy townspeople of Malmesbury in Wiltshire believed there was a powerful coven of witches in their midst,” said Noble.
Ten women and two men were charged with witchcraft, accused of bewitching and “lameing” a boy named Thomas Webb.
The local court dismissed charges against most of the accused, except for three women: Elizabeth Peacock, Judith Witchell, and Ann Tilling. They were sent to Salisbury to be judged by Rainsford, said Noble.
Peacock was acquitted, but Witchell and Tilling were sentenced to death and hanged in 1672.
Accusations of witchcraft, often made against poor, elderly women, reached their peak in England in the late 16th century, according to the U.K. Parliament’s website.
Between 1560 and 1700, 513 “witches” were put on trial, leading to 112 executions. The last known execution was in Devon in 1685, with the last formal witch trial held in Leicester in 1717.
It is believed that more than 500 people in England have been executed for witchcraft, as per the U.K. Parliament’s website.
As for Rainsford, he died at his family home of Dallington Hall in 1680.
“As was common practice at the time, Sir Richard Rainsford specified in his will that money be put aside to commission memorial rings for his [female relatives] to wear in his memory,” said Noble.
“The gold band ring bears a skull and crossbones [on] the exterior and the initials and date of death of Sir Rainsford engraved within.”
In his will he stated, “To my cousins Mrs. Wagstaffe, Mrs. Barry, and Mrs. Barnsley, forty shillings a piece to buy them rings in remembrance of me.”
For his three daughters-in-law, he stated that, “two further remembrance rings or plates were to be made with twenty pounds set aside.”
His will can be viewed at the National Archive in Kew.
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Treasure hunter Pulley, who uses metal detecting as a way to stay fit in retirement, shared details of the find with the auction house.
Steve Pulley, a metal detectorist and retiree from England, uncovered the historical ring in a field. (Image courtesy of Steve Pulley)
“I had been searching for a couple of hours when I got a good signal. I dug into the dark soil and was excited to see the deep, buttery gold of the ring revealed against the brown mud,” he said.
“I was surprised to see the image of a skull and crossbones on the ring looking up at me. I suspected there was an inscription on the inside of the band, but I didn’t reveal it until I got home and gently washed it under the tap. That’s when I saw the enigmatic and wonderful script.”
The inscription reads: “Richard Rainsford, Mile Nuper Cap Just De Banco Regis Obitus 17 Feb 80 Æt 76,” which translates to “Richard Rainsford, Knight, lately Chief Justice of the Court of the King’s Bench, Died 17th February 1680 aged 76.”
The memorial ring, seen here from different angles, is inscribed with Rainsford’s name, position, and date of death. (Image courtesy of Noonans)
Pulley wanted to find out who the ring belonged to, so he turned to an internet forum where he knew a member that was an expert in Latin.
“They were able to interpret the inscription, which revealed the rank and position of the owner, ‘Lord Chief Justice of the Royal Bench,’ along with the date of his death,” he said.
“It was then fairly straightforward to find someone with the initials ‘RR’ who held that position and died on the date shown. It was a bit of a detective hunt but as each clue was solved it was very satisfying.”
Pulley took the ring to the local Finds Officer, who reached out to a museum in Northampton and the British Museum.
After officials disclaimed the ring, it was returned to him.
“I will share the proceeds with the landowner and, with my portion, I hope to go on holiday to celebrate my 70th birthday,” he said.
The ring will be up for sale at Noonans “Jewellery, Watches, and Objects of Vertu” auction on March 26.
Its pre-sale estimate is £6,000 to £8,000 ($7,600 to $10,100).
Noonans has sold jewelry uncovered by retirees before, including a 17th-century gold seal ring and an 18th-century memento mori ring in March 2023.
