On March 24, Hansons Auctioneers in Derbyshire, England began taking bids on one of the most fascinating historical artifacts they have put up for auction. The item they are selling is a flashy gold signet ring that once belonged to the High Sheriff of Nottingham.
No, not the Sheriff of Nottingham. The sheriff, who vainly sought to capture the virtuous outlaw Robin Hood, is purely legendary.
The ring up for auction belongs to a real-life version of the 17th century Sheriff of Nottingham. This particular sheriff never chased Robin Hood around Sherwood Forest. But he arrested real lawbreakers who were caught carrying out their illegal affairs within the city limits of the real Nottingham, and he did so in while showing off a fancy piece of jewelry on his finger that helps attest to his high status.
Adding more color to the story of the High Sheriff of Nottingham’s signet ring is how it was found. It was not recovered by a professional archaeologist but was instead found in July 2020 by an amateur treasure hunter scanning an area of farmland near Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire with a metal detector.
For Graham Harrison, 64, a retired merchant navy engineering officer from Lincoln, Lincolnshire, the discovery of the valuable 17th-century ring was the highlight of a 10-year “career”. be his detector.
“It was the first major excavation after lockdown on a glorious day,” Harrison recalls, sharing details of his find in a Hansons press release. “We are searching two fields. Other detectorists continued to search for hammered coins but I found nothing. Then I suddenly got a signal. I dug up a lump of dirt but couldn’t find anything. I kept smashing the clod and with the last smash, a golden ring shined on me.”
One of the silver coins found in the same area. (Hansons Auction House)
Surprised by his find, Harrison contacted local authorities, who arranged for the ring to be examined by experts from the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Programme. But even before this assessment was complete, Harrison knew the importance of what he found.
“I knew it was a signature ring and started doing some research,” he explains. “When I found out about the connection with the Sheriff of Nottingham, it made me smile. There can’t be many people who find something like that.”
After experts verified the ring’s legitimacy and returned it to his ownership, Harrison decided to put it up for auction.
“I only sold it because it was stuck in a drawer. I hope it goes to someone who appreciates its historical value.”
The rare and finely crafted gold ring is in excellent condition. It is expected to sell at auction for between 6,000 and 8,000 pounds, or $8,000 to $10,500. It eventually sold for a respectable £8,500 ($11,200).
Vintage illustration of the Sheriff of Nottingham ( Morphart / Adobe Stock)
Introducing Sir Matthew Jenison, High Sheriff of Nottingham
The gold ring bears the Jenison family coat of arms. The Jenisons were prominent in English politics in the 16th and 17th centuries, holding various government positions and political offices in the County of Nottinghamshire (where the city of Nottingham is located) in the East Midlands region of England.
Hansons consultant Adam Staples said: “The ring remains in near perfect condition and the front has a detailed engraving of the Jenison family arms, two swans separated by a line cross”. “This would have been pressed into molten wax to stamp family crests on important letters and documents.”
The Nottinghamshire branch of the Jenison family was first elected alderman in local councils starting in 1580. A number of Jenisons later served as mayors in Nottinghamshire towns and cities, after the That chamber was established by charter in 1626.
Experts have confirmed that the original owner of the gold ring was Sir Matthew Jenison.
Trained as a barrister, Matthew was knighted in 1683 at the age of 29 and took up the position of High Sheriff of Nottingham in the same year. The High Sheriff’s office was actually separate from the sheriff’s office, so there were actually two individuals carrying the title “Sheriff of Nottingham” at that time (and in the years that followed). Sir Matthew served as High Sheriff for a year and then went on to serve as a member of Parliament representing the village of Newark.
Ironically, Sir Matthew shares an important characteristic with the fictional Sheriff of Nottingham. Like the vile sheriff who harassed Robin Hood, Sir Matthew is morally challenged and appears to be quite the scoundrel. He was sued multiple times for various forms of misconduct, and was eventually sentenced to prison for failing to pay legal fees in one of these lawsuits. He died in captivity in 1734, remembered more for his misdeeds than for his positive achievements.
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The signet ring bears the coat of arms of Sir Matthew Jenison, once High Sheriff of Nottingham. (Hansons Auction House)
Hello to all the sheriffs of Nottingham, both real and imagined
Any mention of the Sheriff of Nottingham will inevitably evoke associations with the legend of Robin Hood.
During the time of Robin Hood robbing the rich to give to the poor, the sheriff of Nottingham was identified as his archenemy. In the end, Robin Hood always gets the better of the Sheriff, who is ruthless and terrifying but is ultimately overwhelmed by the resourceful Robin and his band of Merry Men. The personal rivalry between Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham was fierce and long-lasting but ultimately one-sided, as the good represented by Robin triumphed over the evil represented by the Sheriff time and time again. other.
People often ask, are the characters of Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham based on real people? It is very possible that they were, although that is a claim that is difficult if not impossible to prove. But what is indisputable is that more than 1,000 men and women have served as Sheriff or High Sheriff of Nottingham over the centuries, wielding real power in law enforcement positions really.
The first mention of Robin and his exploits occurred in literature that circulated in the late 14th century, and it is believed that his fictional adventures were set in the 13th century. The first Sheriff appointed to this position took office in 1449, long after the Norman conquest and therefore later than the time in which the legend of Robin Hood was established. This means that the Sheriff of Nottingham in the story must be based on the High Sheriff and one of Jenison’s predecessors, and would in fact be the High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and the Royal Forests. So the fictional character must have been adjusted over time.
However, this imaginary sheriff is still based in reality. Sheriffs in medieval times were the king’s representatives and they acted as representatives of the Crown in the areas to which they were assigned. Their job is to investigate criminal activity, collect rent and taxes, and prevent any riots that may occur in their specific area. If any real-life Robin Hoods appear in their jurisdiction, it is their responsibility to capture them and put them in jail as quickly as possible.
What is perhaps most surprising about the actual positions of Sheriff of Nottingham and High Sheriff of Nottingham is that both positions still exist today. At this point, the duties of each position are purely ceremonial, as both exist exclusively to help promote and support tourism in the city.
But whether ceremonial or not, there is an unbroken continuum connecting every man or woman who has held the office of Sheriff with those who have held that office in the past. The newest versions of the Sheriff and High Sheriff don’t wear gold rings to signal their importance, but they share an undeniable connection to Sir Matthew Jenison as well as all their predecessors. his duties and successors.
