Cloth Seal, Colchester, Portcullis, Image & Found by Nigel Nicholson.
Found near Halstead, 24 x 16mm, 2.6g.
One disc probably from a four disc cloth seal showing a portcullis with COLCHESTER around and the number 3 at the bottom, all within a fused pellet circle and rayed outer border.
From Provenanced Leaden Cloth Seals by Geoffrey Egan, Sub-Department of Medieval Archaeology, University College, University of London. submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, 1987:- "4096 (17mm) portcullis, 3 below, COLCHESTER around, border of incuse |||| around. The 3 for the subsidy on the last example suggests a post-Restoration date (cf. 3d subsidy on Colchester bays, as cited above with no. 395). ... in the early 1690s Colchester bays each paid 3d subsidy (H. M. C. 1894,43)." Also shown as No.24 Fig.11 in Geoff Egan,'Lead cloth seals and related items in the B.M. (B.M.occ.papers 93)'.
