1. A pair of late Iron Age spoons discovered in 1861 at a spot just west of Plas-newydd Romano-British temple cropmark (DE289). The original spoons were exhibited at National Museum Wales in their Origins Gallery on loan from the National Museum of Scotland, but were returned to Edinburgh in June 2017; they are not on public display. Electrotype copies are retained in the National Museum Wales I (Accession No. 21.290/1) but are not on public display. Their discovery is described by Albert Way (1869; 1870), thus;

2. Circumstances of the discovery

`A pair found in 1861 at a spot somewhat south of Ffynogion, in the parish of Llanfair, Denbighshire among sand thrown up in the construction of the railway between Denbigh and Corwen. They were noticed by Mr Hugh Jones of Cae-Groes, Ruthin, as he walked along the cutting; and when found were firmly attached, face to face, by the incrustation of aerugo on the metal, so that it proved difficult to separate them. Unfortunately the precise depth of the spot where they had lain could not be ascertained; the workman, in throwing up the sand, had not noticed them; they may have remained for some time, until found by Mr Jones; the soil appears to have been washed away by rain which fell about that time, and exposed them, so that they attracted his attention, slightly projecting above the rubbish.

At the margin of one of them there is a fracture that had at first been supposed to be an accidental injury. On more careful examination, however, it appears that this, as in other examples, is the small perforation before noticed, made in or very near the edge. The two objects appear to form a pair, of which one only is thus perforated. It is believed, as stated by Mr Barnwell, that they are castings from the same mould. The metal is described as a bronze containing an unusual proportion of copper, as indicated by the colour. They are encrusted with a green oxide, which is merely superficial, and may scarcely be called a patina, such as occurs upon coins.

Upon one of them lines are engraved transversely, forming a plain cross somewhat rudely cut, and not formed in the mould.. The dimensions are as follow: length 3ins. [7.62 cms]; diameter of the handle 1 in. [4.44 cms]; of the bowl 2 ins. [6.35 cms]. These relics.. especially interesting as forming, doubtless, a pair, having been found together were given by Mr Jones to Mr Barnwell, at that time resident in Ruthin, and presented by him, in 1863, to the Museum of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. They are now to be seen in Edinburgh.

The relics found in Denbighshire have recently received special examination by Mr Stuart [who] stated his opinion that the Llanvair specimens had been cast. The ornament on the handle along appears to have been stamped or hammered up from the back, which is hollow, and may not have been reproduced from the mould. There is no engraved line in any part, with the exception of the cross-lines in the bowl of one of the spoons (Way 1870, 203-5).

Albert Way, Arch Camb 1870, III, 200-234

T. Driver, RCAHMW, 2019

3. Ffynogion, Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd, Denbighshire (11 and 12). Described in Driver 2023.

This pair of spoons (NPRN 424529) was discovered in the autumn of 1861 and first reported by the Revd Barnwell of nearby Ruthin School, as described above. Mr Hugh Jones of Cae-Groes, Ruthin, was walking the line of the fresh railway cutting to the south of Ffynogion house, where sand had been thrown up during the construction, when he noticed the spoons firmly attached face to face. Barnwell (1862, 208) noted:

'How long they had been lying there, is not certain, since the workmen in throwing up the sand out of the cutting appear to have taken no notice of them. For the same reason it is impossible to say whether they were found near the surface or not, or even to fix upon the exact spot whence they had been thrown, and subsequently covered up… The place where they were thus found is south of Ffynogion, in Llanfair parish'

In terms of landscape setting, the valley of the River Clwyd at this point is low lying, with the findspot of the spoons sloping gently to the west, down to the course of the river. Ffynogion house to the north occupies the edge of an elevated ridge behind which is a post-medieval earthwork.

Arguably the most significant archaeological site in the southern Vale of Clwyd is the plough-levelled Plas-Newydd Romano-British temple (NPRN 309755). This is a rare site, now a scheduled monument. Only four known or suspected temenoi are recorded in eastern Wales, at Plas-Newydd, at Forden Gaer, Montgomery, in Caersws vicus, Powys and the temple and cella at Gwehelog, Llancayo, south Wales (Davis and Driver 2014, 180)... It is highly like this major cult focus in the valley was already significant in Iron Age times, as was the case at Gwehelog, Llancayo (Davis and Driver 2014, 178–9). It is also plausible to suggest the find spot of the Ffynogion spoons is in some way associated to the nearby temenos, but without intensive new analysis or geophysical survey of the approximate findspot it will be impossible to reach any further conclusions about the circumstances of their deposition or loss..

4. Art Performance, Olivia Hicks RCA - 2024

In 2024 artist Olivia Hicks RCA worked with Toby Driver, RCAHMW, and Fiona Gale, towards the artwork 'Blood, Water, Honey and Wine – Ritual Spoons' based on the spoons at the Ruthin International arts Festival. 

' It was a combination of drawing the collage I had prepared in advance of the spoons as portals/reflections of the landscape and looking at the landscape and drawing it as I was in it. The drawing was constructed using a graphite block, powder and pencils on paper. The drawing was made sitting at, moving around and even climbing on at points an old wooden table and chairs to add a surreal element in the landscape. Oak trees surrounded me that represent the druid’s strong connection to nature/trees which are used in rituals and are seen as very sacred....After the drawing was completed I sent the drawing down the River Clwyd from a peaceful setting – it was very common for Druids to throw votive offerings into the river, coins, swords etc as water was extremely important spiritually to the Celts and symbolises a gateway/portal to the Otherworld. I  asked the people who carried the drawing with me in this intimate ritual/ceremony to make their own personal offerings and  to let something go to the Otherworld as well.' Source: https://www.oliviahicks.co.uk/projects-writing/ 

Updated: Toby Driver, RCAHMW, November 2024

References:

Barnwell, E. L. 1862. Bronze articles supposed to be spoons. Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. VIII Third Series, 208-219.

Davis, O., and Driver, T. 2014. Llancayo Farm Roman marching camp, Usk, Monmouthshire. Archaeologia Cambrensis Volume 163.  173-184.

Driver, T. 2023. Castell Nadolig hillfort and the Penbryn Spoons: a new investigation. Archaeologia Cambrensis 127. 87-136

Way, A. 1869. Notices of certain bronze relics, of a peculiar type, assigned to the late Celtic period. Archaeological Journal 26. 52-83.

Way, A. 1870. Notices of certain bronze relics, of a peculiar type, assigned to the late Celtic period. Archaeologia Cambrensis, 199-234.