UFFORD - MEDIEVAL English Horse Harness Pendant. 13th/14th Century.

Rare and intriguing English medieval horse harness pendant. 13th/14th Century.



ENGLISH MEDIEVAL HORSE HARNESS PENDANTS

FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION.

Mainly 13th and 14th Century.

Coats of arms on copper alloy, with gold, silver and enamel depending on the colours of the arms - they depicted the allegiance of the rider. However, a small proportion were used for decorative purposes only to show status.

Pendants are found in a variety of shapes, usually attached to the harness by means of a separate hinged mount, which might be a horizontal bar with a downward projecting suspension loop, or sometimes a cruciform design. They were often attached to the peytrel - a strap girdling the front of the horse and sometimes also on the horse's forehead, suspended from the upper bridle strap.

These pendants were at the peak of their use in the 13th and 14th century. The fashion faded away when arms became less simple and quartering was introduced.

Most families have been traced and many of them came over with William the Conqueror.



UFFORD

ARMS: (Sable) a cross engrailed (Or) impaling by dimitation (Or) three

chevrons (Sable) probably Ufford dimitated by another.

C13th-C14th

Found: Norfolk 2002

Uffords emerged as powerful medieval barons in East Anglia at end of reign of Henry Il.

Two members of the family became justices of Ireland and one, John, was nominated

Archbishop of Canterbury but died of plague before his installation (1348).

Lord Ufford

Earl of Suffolk

Family very prominent politically and on the battlefield.