Incredibly rare horse brooch to be housed at The Collection Museum

Leasingham Horse Brooch
Leasingham Horse Brooch

An exciting find from Lincolnshire has been acquired for The Collection Museum in Lincoln thanks to a donation from the Friends of Lincoln Museums and Art Gallery.

The Leasingham Horse Brooch is the first known of its kind, and featured on ‘Great British History Hunters’ last night (Wednesday 11 May) on More4. From today, it is on display at the museum.

A complete, cast, copper-alloy, Roman brooch in the form of a three-dimensional horse, it is thought to date from AD 43-410.

It is a fairly realistic portrayal of a horse, with details of its head, mane and saddle or saddle cloth included in the design. The hinged pin of the brooch is intact.

Dawn Heywood, Senior Collections Development Officer at the museum, said: 

“The brooch is an incredibly rare find in Britain, and the first three-dimensional horse brooch to be recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme finds database. 

"This style of horse brooch is now identified as the ‘Leasingham type’, so we are privileged to have had the opportunity to acquire the first of its kind for the museum collection”.

The brooch featured in last year’s Beneath Our Feet display of recent finds from across the county, but will now become part of the museum’s permanent collection.

Cllr Lindsey Cawrey, executive councillor for cultural services, said:

“I’m delighted that this rare and unique find is staying in Lincolnshire where it will help tell the story of our county's rich history.

"We’re grateful to the Friends of Lincoln Museums and Art Gallery who celebrated 50 years of support last year, and this beautiful horse brooch is another treasured example of that invaluable support.”

Visit the Collection Museum website.

Published: 12th May 2022