Mystery surrounds how an 18th-century mourning ring, commemorating the wife of a Devon MP and landowner, found its way 400 miles to a field in Tyne and Wear.
Now the ring, which was discovered by South Shields metal detectorist Warrick Rochester, is expected to make £800-£1,200 when it goes under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers on October 9.
Warrick, 54, said: “I have no idea how the ring made its way from Devon all this way to South Tyneside. Perhaps the family were on holiday having sailed to Tyne dock. How and why it was in a field up here I have no idea!”
Warrick originally from Durban in South Africa who started metal detecting in lockdown, admitted he did the “gold dance” when he unearthed the ring last July.
He said: “All detectorists do it to celebrate finding a significant gold item, such as a ring or coin.”
Warrick, who goes out twice a week looking for treasure, said he had been out detecting on an uncomfortably hot summer’s afternoon, with his water running out.
He admitted he was about to throw in the towel when his detector made a “scratchy” noise.
He said: “I was exhausted and almost didn’t bother to dig it, but I am very glad I did. It was only 2in deep and I soon flicked it over with spade. At first I thought it was costume jewellery but soon saw the name. I googled it and realised it was something special.”
The ring, known as a mourning ring, is marked with the name Isabella Rolle and the date of her death in 1734.
It would have been worn by a family member as an act of remembrance.
Isabella was the wife of the Devon politician and landowner John Rolle (1679–1730) who was first entered Parliament aged 31 as the MP for Saltash.
In 1710 he was next elected MP for Devon and, by then a wealthy man, arrived in London with two six-horse coaches and 100 men on horseback.
He went on to hold various seats in the county including Exeter and Barnstaple.
The couple had 11 children, including four sons and seven daughters. Isabella Rolle was buried at St Giles Church, St Giles in the Wood in October 1734.
Hansons Auctioneers’ jewellery expert, Helen Smith, said: “The ring, which is mounted with a square rock crystal, is small (size H) and likely would have been worn by one of her daughters. How the ring came to be so far from the Rolle family estates in Devon is unknown, as the first and second generation of John and Isabella appeared to reside in the Devon area.”
Mourning rings were often engraved with the name, initials and date of death of the deceased. Popular in the Georgian and Victorian eras, many were coated in black enamel to signify mourning.
The Rolle family name features on a number of Devon landmarks including the obelisk at Bicton, known as the “Rolle Obelisk”, which was built by the couple’s son, while Rolle Road in Great Torrington is on the site of the Rolle Canal.
Auction Details
Auction: Hansons Derbyshire Fine Art Auction
Auction date: 9th October 2025 | 9:30am
Location: Hansons Derbyshire Saleroom
Auction contact: [email protected]
Catalogue/bidding: www.hansonslive.co.uk | www.the-saleroom.com
