Monument record MDO8153 - Anglo Saxon and Medieval mint unlocated in Wareham

In the Saxon Age, Wareham was one of the most important Towns in Dorset, it was also one of the chief places of coinage in the county, second only to Shaftesbury, and had, like that mint, two moneyers assigned to it by Athelstan (AD 925-941), when he promulgated his laws for the regulation of the coinage. There is no authority for supposing a coinage was continued here after the time of Henry I. (1)

No further information obtained during field investigation to site this mint. In Lady St. Mary's Church is a silver penny of William I, found in Wareham in the last century and bearing the Wareham mint mark. (2)

Coins struck at the mint at Wareham during the reigns of Athelstan (925-939), Aethelred (976-1016) Cnut (1016-1035) Harthacnut (1040-1042) and continuing to Henry I (1100-1135). Name appears on coins as 'WERHAM'. (3)

Dolley stated that there were three moneyers at Wareham during the reign of Cnut. (4-5)

<1> Warne, C, 1862, Ancient Dorset (1st Edition), p293-302 (Monograph). SWX3049.

<2> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 02-JUL-52 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<3> Seasbys Catalogue Coins of Great Britain and Ireland, 1949 p 23 (Index). SWX3051.

<4> Dolley R H M, 1956, A note on the Mint at Wareham under Cnut. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 76, p56-57 (Article in serial). SWX3052.

<5> Dolley R H M, 1956, An important unpublished Coin of the Dorchester Mint. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 77, p156fn (Article in serial). SWX3053.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456713 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 5 2024 11:21AM