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A curious thing, this ring...


Whilst traversing the magnificence that is the Norwich City walls, we came across the remnants of a bottle, cemented into the flint and stone work. This piece of an ordinary daily item - belonging to who knows - lies forever on display and a link to the person that it belonged to.

- Thadeus Basil-Snapper, the Third
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  1. The Screech21 February 2011 at 10:48

    Haieeeeeeezuh!!

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  2. R J Oooonstead (deceased)21 February 2011 at 14:48

    What you have there my dear Thadeus is an Early Modern (Sixteenth and Seventeenth Century) security camera. Originally the the small flint was not mortared into the circular construction and when anyone beat upon of the city gates, the small stone would be pulled out to allow the gatekeeper to see who it was and enquire what they wanted.If the gatekeepers did not like the look of the person seeking entry to Norwich they would pass a long stick out through the circular construction and poke the traveller with it until they went away.

    I trust this clears the matter up.

    R J Oooonstead (deceased)

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  3. Many Coats21 February 2011 at 15:08

    And interesting theory RJ, and one that accords well with the growing paranoia with regard to the spread of Bubonic plague in the 16th & 17th centuries and increasing prejudice against vagrants. But a Tudor pokey hole?

    I suspect rather that what we have here is a builder having a jape with one of his fellow builders. Picture the scene.. It's medieval times - You've just finished building the next level of wooden shuttering which will contain the next level of flint and lime mortar that makes up the City wall. You're sitting down with bread in one hand and reach for your costrel, your bottle of ale, but it's not there. You turn to your workmates John and Steven, who are soiling their hose with laughter and pointing to your bottle now barely visible between flint and lime. Verily says John, your costrel has been lostrel! And you all laugh some more.

    +Many Coats+

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  4. Elias the Shovel21 February 2011 at 18:43

    That's where I left it!

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  5. The Ragged Society of Antiquarian Ramblers22 February 2011 at 03:33

    Probably a ceramic ginger beer bottle, drunk by Alfred Truddock on March 17th 1887 at 10:27am, whilst leaning on his shovel and yarning with his mates... yeh, probably is him.

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