Medieval coins and tokens
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These were among the medieval coins and tokens excavated in 1878 from St Anne's well and collected from beneath the stone bridge that stood nearby. These artefacts have been widely cited as evidence establishing the veneration of the well in the medieval period, but serious doubt has been cast on this claim due to the stratigraphy of these finds. In contrast to the wealth of documentary evidence of the medieval Chapel of St Anne in the Wood, the well does not enter the historical record until 1885.
The items illustrated are, from left to right: Edward IV halfgroat, a French jetton or counter (1461-1497), Henry VII halfgroat, a coin said to be from Portugal, and another medieval French jetton.
The illustration is from Bishop, Charles 1891, St Anne's Ferry, privately printed; in 1891, The Bristol & District Footpath Preservation Society. Reproduced with kind permission of Bristol Reference Library.
Material: metal
Period: Medieval
Find spot: St Anne's well (ST 62177250) and adjacent bridge.
Text written by Ken Taylor, in 2010 & 2012-3
Acquisition number: 100808a6