Heritage Treasures Day

Author: Anna Maluk

Veni, Vidi, Vici – I came, I saw, I conquered!

#HeritageTreasures Day in January is an annual celebration initiated by the Heritage Lottery Fund to share ‘inspiring projects and highlight rich and diverse heritage across the UK’.

Congleton Museum has many treasures, with our vast collection of Roman coins being one of them. Did you know that the museum is home to not one, not two, not three… but four Roman hoards known as the Cheshire Hoards?

These are the Malpas Hoard, the Knutsford Hoard, the Poole Hoard, and the Peover Hoard. Our dedicated volunteers are currently conducting conservation work on the Peover Hoard.

The Malpas Hoard was discovered in 2014 and comprises 35 Roman and Iron Age coins. The markings on the Iron Age coins include ‘EISV’ which show they originated in the west, possibly Gloucestershire, and ‘VEP CORP’ from the east, including Lincoln and Leicestershire areas.

The Knutsford Hoard was found a little earlier in 2012. This hoard is a little larger and comprises 103 coins, plus a collection of brooches and rings ranging from 32BC through to the 2nd century.

The Poole Hoard was found in 2016 and contains 1500 ‘low value’ coins buried around the time of the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great (AD 306 to 337). They are made of copper-alloy with a small mixture of silver.

The Peover Hoard contains 6,956 Romano-British coins marking the reigns of 22 emperors. The majority of the contents of the hoard can be traced back to three mints: Rome, Trier and Cologne.

The Malpas, Knutsford and Poole Hoards are currently on display at the museum.