The story of seal finds in Wales stretches back for over 200 years, and currently some six or seven seal dies or matrices are discovered each year in the Principality. In the nineteenth century seals were mostly discovered by chance – and to an extent this still holds true. In the twentieth century, archaeological excavations or building works unearthed many seals, whilst in more recent decades the arrival of the metal detector has further increased the numbers found. The consequence of all this activity is that a very fine assemblage of seals, of practically every class, now exists – mostly deposited in museums but some still in private hands.2 In what follows we can review some of that material and offer some reflection upon the quality and range of material discovered as well as consider the context in which seals were located.
One of the finest seal matrices ever discovered in Wales is the obverse half of the seal of the Chancery of Monmouth (Fig. 14.1), dating from the reign of Edward IV, which can be shown to have been in use, both for the Chancery and the Exchequer of Monmouth, by 1475 until at least 1622. Thereafter the seal matrix must have vanished, might it have been during the Civil War? It only re-emerged before or about 1850 when it was discovered by a poor man in the river Wye, by which the town and castle of Monmouth stand. It was said to have been “fished out of the river”. After its discovery, it was used for a time as the bob of a clock pendulum, but by 1860 was in the keeping of the noted Monmouthshire antiquary, Thomas Wakeman.3 It was later presented by another keen student of Monmouthshire’s past, F. J. Mitchell, to Caerleon Museum, and now reposes in the National Museum in Cardiff.4
The seal depicts the monarch on horseback, and his shield and horse caparisons bear three lions passant guardant, with a label of three points each charged with three fleurs-de-lis. The Lancastrian scholar, the late Sir Robert Somerville pointed out that these arms were those of the Duchy of Lancaster, of which Monmouth formerly formed part.5 The ascription to Edward IV stems from that monarch being not only king but also Duke of Lancaster. The matrix still bears one of the (originally four) perforated lobes by which it would have been fixed to its missing reverse face in the process of sealing. The other three projections have long been sawn off. Prior to the reign of Edward IV, the chancery of Monmouth employed a different seal.6
The legend, in Black Letter script, reads:
S : Edwardi : dei : gra : reg : Angl : t : Francie : cancellarie : sue : de : Monemuth
Another official seal, discovered, by David Lewis in 1987, working with a metal detector in the Portfield at Haverfordwest, was the matrix of the obverse face of the Seal for the Taking of Recognizances within the Town and County of Haverfordwest. Hitherto, it had only been known for its engraving in Lewis’ Topographical Dictionary, where the legend of the reverse face seems to have been unhelpfully mistranscribed.7 It is not the normal medieval royal seal for the acknowledgement of debts but of Elizabethan or Jacobean engraving. It was perhaps employed for contractual obligations and other municipal purposes. The missing reverse face depicts a sailing ship, the obverse side (Fig. 14.2) shows a triple-towered embattled castle, with its portcullis closed. From the central tower, a man blows a horn to the right, whilst in each side-tower flies an heraldic flag. The supporters are (on the left) a lion rampant, and (on the right) a bird, perhaps an eagle, resting and reguardant.