Man who pocketed tiles from medieval priory as boy returns them 60 years later
Summary
A man named Simon White returned three small pieces of medieval floor tiles to Wenlock Priory in Shropshire, England, nearly 60 years after taking them as a child. The tiles date from the late 1200s to early 1300s and one shows a dragon design that was previously unknown at the site.Key Facts
- Simon White took the tile fragments as a souvenir when he was nine years old during a family visit in the late 1960s.
- The tiles were kept in a toffee tin and rediscovered by White recently during a house move.
- White contacted English Heritage, the organization that manages the priory, to return the fragments.
- Experts confirmed the tiles likely came from Wenlock Priory because similar tiles were known only at three sites in Shropshire.
- One tile has a dragon design, which had not been seen before at this location.
- Another tile shows a face that might be a lion or a grimacing expression.
- The tiles will be kept in an archaeology store for study and will not be replaced on the priory floor.
- English Heritage welcomed the return and encouraged others with old souvenirs from historic sites to come forward.
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