Museum collections often feature what have become known as ‘curios’ – peculiar little things that are one of a kind and come with intriguing, dare I say tall, stories. And this is a fine example of one such incongruous item.  

The story goes that the Duke of Monmouth gave his shoe buckle to a child when he stopped to change horses during his escape from the Battle of Sedgemoor in 1685, the final skirmish of the ill-fated Monmouth Rebellion. The inscription says ‘Purchased 1911’.  

I wonder who from? Who set it into this charming little carved frame? Why did Monmouth give the buckle away? Like all good curios, this object leaves us with more questions than answers. And that’s part of it’s charm. 

You can see it in the Rebellion Gallery at the museum.