A rare piece of Saxon history is set to go on permanent display at The Novium Museum in Chichester — thanks to overwhelming community support.
The museum has successfully acquired the Stopham Mount, an intricately decorated gold and garnet sword fitting dating back to around AD 600. The acquisition was made possible through a fundraising campaign that received 166 donations, helping to raise the final £9,000 needed to secure the artefact.
The campaign was also supported by the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and a generous contribution from the landowner who discovered the piece. In addition, the museum received a £4,942 ‘On Display’ grant from Arts Council England, Art Fund, and Museum Development South East to purchase a custom display case and plinth.
Discovered in 2022 near Stopham in the Chichester District, the mount is only the second of its kind ever found in West Sussex. The first, acquired by the British Museum in 1981, was incomplete, making the Stopham Mount a particularly rare and important find.
Councillor John Cross, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Place at Chichester District Council, said the public response had been “incredible” and praised the campaign as “a true community effort.”
Measuring just over 16 millimetres in height, the mount is believed to have fastened a sword to its scabbard and features exquisite gold and garnet decoration symbolising wealth and power.
The Stopham Mount will go on display early in the new year as part of The Novium Museum’s permanent local history exhibition.
More information is available at www.thenovium.org/stophammount.
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