Metal detectorist flabbergasted after uncovering 17th-century gold ring with mysterious motif

A 17th-century gold ring featuring a skull design has been unearthed in a Lancashire field and is set to go under the hammer next week.

Metal detectorist Amanda Parker discovered the memento mori memorial ring while searching farmland in Catforth.

The piece, which bears an inscription dedicating it to Dr Richard Busby, is expected to sell for approximately £3,000 when it is offered at Noonans auction house in Mayfair on Tuesday, June 23.

Parker, from Preston, was introduced to the hobby by her daughter and partner, both experienced detectorists.

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On a sunny August day last year, she spotted "the glint of gold" at the bottom of an eight-inch hole and initially believed she had found a wedding band.

Dr Busby, who passed away in 1695, served as headmaster of Westminster School for an extraordinary 55 years, earning recognition as the most distinguished educator of his era.

His influence extended far beyond the classroom, with his students going on to shape British history and culture in profound ways.

Among those who studied under him were the renowned architect Christopher Wren, composer Henry Purcell, playwright John Dryden, philosopher John Locke and physicist Robert Hooke.

Several of his former pupils, including Locke, Hooke and Wren, later became founding members of the Royal Society.

Born in Lutton, Lincolnshire, in 1606, Busby was educated at Westminster School before studying at Christ Church, Oxford, and returning to lead his alma mater from 1638.

He now lies beneath a marble memorial in Westminster Abbey.

Upon lifting the ring from the soil, Parker noticed italic script on the inside reading "Ri Busby" and assumed it was a posy ring.

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"I must have sat in the field next to the hole for a good 10 to 15 minutes not believing what I had just found and, being alone, not able to share my excitement with anybody," she said.

After returning home, she searched for information about Richard Busby online and was astonished by what she discovered.

That same evening, her daughter and partner uploaded an image of the ring to a metal detecting forum, where fellow enthusiasts confirmed it appeared to be a memorial piece honouring the famous Westminster School headmaster.

Parker has since spent considerable time researching Busby's life and legacy.

The ring underwent the official treasure process before being disclaimed and returned to Parker in December 2025.

She subsequently contacted Westminster School, which expressed keen interest in viewing the piece, as it did not possess one in its collection.

According to Laura Smith, jewellery specialist at Noonans, Busby bequeathed funds in his will to various friends and acquaintances specifically "to buy rings in the remembrance of me".

The amounts left for these memorial pieces ranged from five guineas down to 10 shillings per ring.

Archive records at Westminster School indicate that 90 foliate rings were commissioned for distribution, with 20 of these featuring the skull motif.

Parker intends to divide the sale proceeds equally with the landowner who granted her permission to search the fields.

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