English: Incomplete cast copper alloy purse bar (Ward-Perkins Class 2a) of late Medieval or early Post-Medieval date (1475 - 1550). The purse bar is mostly complete, it is missing a small section (which includes the terminal) of one arm and a section of the terminal of the other. The two arms of the purse bar are sub-rectangular in both plan and cross section with an expanded sub-rectangular terminal (knop) at either end. On the lower edge of each arm of the purse bar are two small sub-rectangular integrally cast loops, each with a single central hole (average diameter: 2.8mm). Each loop measures 9.6mm length, 2.2mm width, and is 2mm thick. Two of these loops are broken / incomplete. These would have acted as suspension loops for a leather or cloth purse. Each arm thickens at the centre of the frame. In the centre of the bar (where the two arms meet) is an integrally cast sub-rectangular shield shaped lozenge, through which a vertical hole has been cut / cast. This hole enables the attachment of the suspension loop and enables the purse to rotate. The purse suspension loop is circular in plan with tapering sides. It is sub-rectangular (D shaped) in cross section. The loop extends at the base into a small cylindrical knop which further extends into a tapered length of bar that passes through the vertical hole in the purse bar. The terminal of this bar is rounded and a small faceted copper alloy rivet has been fixed to secure the loop.

The purse bar measures 137.5mm in length, 57.8mm width, is 9.4mm thick and weighs 62.9 grams.

Both sides of the bars arms are decorated as is the central shield shaped lozenge. This decoration is in the form of an inscription which has been inlaid with niello (a silver compound which is black in colour). It is likely that the rest of the bar was either silvered or tinned. Much of both of these applied surfaces have been lost. The inscription on one side is spread over both arms of the bar and reads: [A]VE MARIA / GATIA PLE. The initial A has been lost through abrasion and the niello has been lost from the majority of the letters on the right hand side. A number of the letters in the inscription are ligatured (joined) together: these are AR of MARIA and AT of GATIA. There is also a misspelling of the word GRATIA (GATIA) and not enough room for the word PLENA, but this is not unusual with artefacts from this period. The inscription on this face has been separated by the central block / shield shaped lozenge which is also decorated with a niello fleur-de-lis. The opposite side of the purse bar is similarly decorated with an inscription. This reads DOMINV / S / TECVM. The S is within a shield shaped cartouche on the central block. The O in DOMINCVS is also strangely formed; in that it appears to be a lozenge (or diamond shape). The full inscription can be translated as Hail Mary Full of Grace, the Lord is with Thee. On some artefacts this inscription can be seen in full: AVE MARIA GRATIA PLENA DOMINUS TECUM, BENEDICTA TU IN MULIERIBUS (Hail Mary Full of Grace, the Lord is with Thee, Blessed art thou among women...) The purse bar is a mid green colour with an uneven abraded polished patina which covers most surfaces. Both the arms have been distorted by movement in the ploughsoil. This has resulted in both arms being curved and also the loss of both terminals. Also the purse bar has suffered from laminating corrosion in that several large areas of the polished patina have been lost. In areas where this abrasion is most significant a light green coloured powdery corrosion is present. Similar purse bars have been discussed by Ward Perkins in the Museum of London Medieval Catalogue. He classifies this type as Type A2 which is distinguished from the other types by its lack of ornamental decoration, and the use of an inlaid religious or talismanic inscription. Ward Perkins suggests that this type is to the late medieval c.1490 (pp163-165).