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Wednesday, 23rd May 2007 (3338 views)

Ipswich has provided history buffs with a treasure trove of golden artefacts dating back to the 1600s after a clean-up in a local pond.

Several French and English coins were found preserved in the mud in the Christchurch Park, a famous green space in the town, along with medals, toys and trinkets.

Silt at the bottom of the pond created a preservative environment for the artefacts, which weren't disturbed for hundreds of years until a team of metal detecting enthusiasts came across them.

However, the mud had not protected the items overly well.

Bob Entwistle, the senior collections care officer for Colchester and Ipswich Museums who is overseeing the restoration of the items at Ipswich Museum, told the Evening Star newspaper: "They are very highly corroded. Most of them date from the 20th century or 19th century; however we have had some that are earlier.

"Some of them have been a surprise and have been older than we thought."

One French coin dated as far back as 1656, bearing the mark of Louis XIII. Some gold rings are still thought to be hidden in the mud.

 

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