Middlebie

NY27NW 14 unlocated.

Horse trappings, including 2 bronze bridle bits and 11 terrets in the North British boss-style of the 2nd c AD, La Tene trefoil pommels, scabbard mountings, and 3 dress fasteners, were found together in a moss at Middlebie in 1737. A bronze hilt-guard is Piggott Group IVB, (crown hilt). Two bridle bits and 27 other pieces are in the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS).

W G Gibson 1864; J G Callander 1925; Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1894; V G Childe 1935.

Most of the objects are held in the National Museums of Scotland:

NMS FA 71. Complete cast bronze bridle bit (Macgregor no. 5) measuring 25 by 6.1cm and in very good condition with some signs of wear. It is of derivative three-link type with a slender mouthpiece and simple ring-cheekpieces.

(Lost). Derivative three-link bronze bridle bit, of similar form to Macgregor no. 5.

NMS FA 70. Complete cast bronze bridle bit (Macgregor no. 11) in very good condition. It measures 19.3 by 6cm, and is of one-link type.

NMS FA 45-6. Two circular cast bronze rings (Macgregor no. 12), measuring about 5.8 by 5.5cm and of flattened oval section. They may have formed part of a one-link bridle bit such as Macgregor no. 11.

NMS FA 47-8. Two circular cast bronze rings (Macgregor no. 13) measuring about 5.8cm in diameter and generally comparable to Macgregor no. 12.

NMS FA 55. Cast bronze petal or cruciform strap-junction (Macgregor no. 22) in very good condition and decorated with red enamel in panels; measures 4.5 by 5.4cm.

NMS FA 56. Cast bronze petal or cruciform strap-junction (Macgregor no. 23) in good condition; it measures 4.3 by 4.5cm and bears comparable decoration to Macgregor no. 22.

NMS FA 49. Cast bronze strap-junction (Macgregor no. 33) of elongated form in very good condition with no sign of wear. It measures 9.8 by 2.4cm and comprises three linked petal rings crossed centrally by baluster mouldings.

NMS FA 50. Cast bronze strap-junction (Macgregor no. 34) of similar form to Macgregor no. 33; it measures 9.8 by 2.4cm and is in comparable condition.

NMS FA 51. Cast bronze strap-junction (Macgregor no. 35) of similar form to Macgregor no. 33. It is now incomplete but has formerly measured 9.8 by 2.4cm.

NMS FA 60. Cast bronze terret ring (Macgregor no. 55) of simple form with straight bar and grooved collars. It measures 6.1 by 5.1cm, and is in very good condition.

NMS FA 61. Cast bronze terret (Macgregor no. 56) of comparable form to Macgregor no. 55. It measures 5.5 by 4.7cm, and is in very good condition.

NMS FA 67. Cast bronze terret of simple form (Macgregor no. 57) measuring 5.3cm across. It is in moderate condition with signs of wear and trident casting-flaws; the original straight bar is missing.

NMS FA 68. Fragment of simple cast bronze terret (Macgregor no. 58). It is in poor condition, measures up to 4.4cm across and has possibly been a flawed casting.

NMS FA 58. Cast bronze platform terret (Macgregor no. 72) with red enamelled decoration; it measures 7.8 by 6cm, and is in very good condition.

NMS FA 59. Cast bronze knobbed terret (Macgregor no. 88) measuring 8.6 by 6.6cm, and in very good condition.

NMS FA 62. Cast bronze knobbed terret (Macgregor no. 89) measuring 6.3 by 5.4cm, and in very good condition.

NMS FA 63. Cast bronze knobbed terret with tanged bar (Macgregor no. 90) measuring 5.3 by 4.9cm, and in very good condition with little sign of wear.

NMS FA 64. Cast bronze knobbed terret (Macgregor no. 91), virtually identical to Macgregor no. 90, but from a different mould and with more signs of wear.

NMS FA 65. Cast bronze knobbed terret (Macgregor no. 92) with slender bar. It measures 5.9 by 4.8cm, and is in very good condition with possible trace of wear.

NMS FA 66. Cast bronze knobbed terret (Macgregor no. 93) with deep simple bar. It measures 6 by 5cm and is in very good condition with faint traces of wear.

NMS FA 57. Cast bronze sword-hilt (Macgregor no. 149) of Piggott's group IVB (crown), bearing a symmetrical arrangement of lobed stems in relief. It measures 5cm in length by 2cm in height, and is in very good condition; the lower margin bears evidence of contact with the (lost) blade.

This hoard was owned (and recorded) by Sir John Clerk of Penicuik, and may be tentatively seen as being of local manufacture but reflecting the movement of refugee Icenian metalworkers from East Anglia in the third quarter of the first century AD. Group IV swords are normally seen as a Brigantian type.

Manuscript collection of the Society of Antiquaries of London, folio II, no. 61; M Macgregor 1976.