THE 'UNUSUAL' discovery of a brooch over 1,300 years old and found on a building site in Bicester has been declared as treasure.

The Anglo-Saxon brooch, and five other historic finds thought to be from a female grave from the 7th century, was uncovered at the undisclosed site on top of a pile of soil.

A treasure inquest yesterday heard how a member of the public had gone to the already excavated undisclosed site to metal detect.

But while waiting for a friend before starting spotted the collection of Anglo-Saxon object left on the top of a soil heap having already been dug up from the site.

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The discovery was made in 2007 at a site which is now a housing development in Bicester, but its significance was not realised until more recently.

The collection comprised of an incomplete hammered sheet copper 'workbox', a silver wire ring with ribbed decoration on the band, two green glass beads, a rectangular piece of copper alloy, and a Kentish Composite Disc Brooch found in 21 pieces.

Oxfordshire County Council finds officer Anni Byard said the team were particularly interested to discover the brooch.

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She said: "What is interesting about these [type of] brooches is they are Kentish Composite Disc brooches and usually turn up in Kent, but we have had a collection appearing in Oxfordshire.

"This indicates a royal person with a connection between Oxfordshire and Kent in the 7th century.

"There are a couple in the Ashmolean and the Hanney Brooch."

The garnet and gold 7th century Hanney Brooch was found in West Hanney in 2009 and was brought for £2,750 with the assistance of the V&A Purchase Grant Fund, the Headley Trust, and the Friends of the Oxfordshire Museum.

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Ms Byard added: "The interesting thing about this one [found in Bicester] is the fact it is in so many pieces, usually they are complete or near complete.

"But this one you can see the construction and one of our volunteers Rod Trevaskus has done a reconstruction of what we think it could’ve looked like."

The finds officer said the Oxfordshire County Council Museum Service would be interested in comparing the brooches to look at both similarities and differences.

Oxfordshire Coroner Darren Salter conducted a number of other inquests yesterday into the historic items found in the county, declaring all as treasure

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This included a complete silver scabbard Chape, found in Stonesfield, formed from a single sheet of silver folded over and was thought to be attached to the sheath of a dagger of raiper.

A hoard of 18 Roman coins was declared treasure after being found in Chalgrove in April 2018, as well as an incomplete silver gilt dress hook found in East Hendred in February 2017. It would have been used in the 17th century as a clothes fastener.

The inquest also heard of 24 Roman Denarii Coins found in Nettlebed in March 2017, two iron Age Silver coins, of Cotswold Eagle type, found in Leafield in September 2017.