The Story of the Cheapside Hoard

There’s hidden treasure in a strong room at the Museum of London. Much of it has hardly seen the light of day since 1912. It was then that a pickaxe revealed a magnificent Aladdin’s Cave. But to understand its significance you need to take a trip back in time.

Cheapside in the city of London. It’s the 15th century. This is the centre of the goldsmiths’ trade. Several hundred premises are visited by locals and foreigners, impressed with the display of gems and jewels for sale. Fast forward to the 20th century. London has survived the Great Fire and the Plague. The sparkle has disappeared and the tarnish set in. Shops have closed, only a few buildings and tenements survive. And then on the 18 June 1912, workmen enter 30-32 Cheapside to start demolition. This would be a memorable day. As Hazel Forsyth, a senior curator at the Museum of London, describes it, “Builders got down to the cellars and started breaking through the floor and found this cache of around 500 extraordinary gems and items.” They had unearthed incredible treasure, now known as The Cheapside Hoard. “The Hoard is the finest collection of Elizabethan and Jacobean jewellery in the world,” says Forsyth. And emphasising its importance, she says, “It’s probably the most remarkable find ever recovered from British soil.”

“The Hoard is the finest collection of Elizabethan and Jacobean jewellery in the world,” says Forsyth. And emphasising its importance, she says, “It’s probably the most remarkable find ever recovered from British soil.”

Today, the majority of the pieces are at the Museum of London. The only exceptions are one item at the Victoria & Albert Museum and 25 at the British Museum. Yet sadly, despite their international fame, the whole collection’s never been completely catalogued or exhibited in its entirety. Which brings us back to the basement strong room.

Inside a very ordinary desk light is turned on, and low and behold in small foam-packed clear plastic boxes is the very extraordinary. Dust and dirt still cling to many pieces, being preserved until forensic testing. This may hold the key to the Hoard’s origins, as the owner of the collection still remains a mystery. “Clearly, it was stock in trade,” says Forsyth, “Because there are unworked pieces.” And by that she means the quite tantalising display of gems lying in their trays. There are garnets from India, emeralds from Columbia, turquoise from Iran - the most astonishing array of precious and semi-precious stones from around the world. A beautiful deep red cut almandine garnet was, I’m told, tied to the forehead and used as a cure for melancholy. A small mottled brown, grey stone looks like a polished acorn cup. This is one of 14 toadstones and is from a fossilised fish tooth and approximately 150 million years old. At the time people thought they came from toads and would kill them to extract the stone, which was believed to be an antidote to poison.

Looking at the highly intricate gold filigree work, the enamelled long necklaces fashioned into flowers, and stones cut with figures and inscriptions, it’s easy to understand Forsyth’s passion. The quality and quantity is amazing. But the history makes it equally fascinating. The stones and gems may well have travelled the world before reaching London. And Forsyth speculates, “Some could have been taken from a pirate ship.” Whatever the origin, there are pieces that are unique. “Just a few weeks ago,” says Forsyth, “I had a visit from a lady who works at the Kremlin, an expert on Byzantine jewels. She said there were two of the most important Byzantine jewels in the world in the collection.” One is a white sapphire reverse cameo and the other an amethyst cameo.

The last tray emerges, revealing one of the stars of the collection. Nestled safely in its case is a gold verge watch set in a massive hexagonal formed Columbian emerald. I know the dial is overlaid with translucent green enamel and the rosette-shaped suspension loop covered with white enamel, because I’ve seen a photograph. But the watch is so delicate it can’t be opened and I have to be content with marvelling at the cut of the emerald and its colour.

There are garnets from India, emeralds from Columbia, turquoise from Iran - the most astonishing array of precious and semi-precious stones from around the world.

Forsyth’s aspiration is to ensure the Hoard gets the public recognition it deserves. “I want it to be fully known and as accessible to as wide an audience as possible,” she says. To that end she hopes to secure funding so the museum can run a series of events to make the 100th anniversary of the Hoard in 2012. She’d like to see apprenticeship schemes and workshops as part of the celebrations and to involve current designers. As she comments, “They’re very beautifully cut stones and quite simple, so also quite contemporary. I haven’t met anyone who’s said they haven’t wanted to have or wear something.”

That jewellery is timeless is without doubt one of its appeals. As jewellery designer Theo Fennell remarks about ‘lost jewellery’, “It doesn’t evaporate under a floorboard, in a field or wedged beneath floors. It has much, much more emotion and sentiment.” Fennell’s jewellery is eclectic. Some of his iconic elaborate jewelled crosses would sit well next to the many gemmed crosses in the Hoard. And as he says, “Anybody has historical influences. To think they’re not influenced by the past is wrong.” When Fennell saw some pieces from the Hoard he says, “I was impressed by the goldsmith’s, the enamelling, and the real sense of painterly design. You can see it’s been handmade.” He describes it as ‘getting close to the baker. It’s not a cut loaf off the shelf, but freshly baked’.

Jeweller David Marshall would agree with those sentiments. Hand-making for him means working to ‘those minute details and always trying to put in something different’. He has a very traditional background, having started out in workshops that specialised in the restoration of antique jewellery. Speaking about the Hoard he says, “What stood out for me, is knowing what it takes to make things. The detail, like the chain with each link enamelled, is amazing. It’s very elaborate and today it’s possibly not commercially viable.” However, he believes there is a trend to jewellery returning to an art form, which is something he aspires to. As part of his presence during Coutts London Jewellery Week in June, he’s designing an opera length pearl necklace. It will have a trembling orchid bloom, tassels attached to a platinum and diamond clasp and part of the necklace will be able to be worn as a ring or tiara. “It will be this year’s highlight,” says Marshall. “And very influenced by antiques.”

The legacy of jewellery such as The Cheapside Hoard is felt long into the future. It doesn’t fade away. But it may unfortunately be hidden away. However, if Forsyth has her wish, and the Hoard finally sees the light of day in 2012, we’ll all have to keep an eye open for the piece she thinks will symbolise the collection. It’s not necessarily the rarest or the most valuable, but in many ways it sums up the collection. It’s a small hatpin. A large pearl forms a ship. Attached to it are a delicately worked, gold mast, rigging and rotating pennant. It speaks of pirate ships and buried treasure. And with a following wind, it may well bring the Hoard into the daylight.

For more information visit: 
www.museumoflondon.org.uk  
www.theofennell.com   
www.davidmarshalllondon.com

For more information on Coutts London Jewellery Week from Monday 8 June to Sunday 14 June visit www.coutts.com/londonjewelleryweek

By Michele Nevard