Rare medieval artefact the Shipley Reliquary is unveiled at Horsham Museum

A short drinks reception was followed by the first public viewing of the medieval artefact dating from the thirteenth century.

Councillor Noel gave a very interesting and informative short talk about the history of the Shipley Reliquary, paying tribute to Gavin Kenny for his work in recovering the reliquary and Jeremy Knight, former curator of Horsham Museum for ensuring its secure future in the new Medieval gallery in the museum.

In M. M. Hickman’s History of Shipley (1947) the reliquary is mentioned as the most treasured possession of Shipley church, which according to tradition was found buried in the churchyard. The reliquary is an example of Limoges enamel, produced in France between the 12th and 14th century. A Reliquary is a container or shrine in which sacred relics are kept.

As Mr Noel unveiled the reliquary at Horsham Museum it was very crowded and there was genuine excitement that the reliquary has found its way home to Horsham.

The Shipley History Society were represented at the gathering and its chairman Derek Larcombe said: "We at the Shipley History Society are delighted and thankful that this historically important Reliquary has now been brought home to St Marys, Shipley and is now in the safe keeping of Horsham Museum of Art for all to enjoy. We are deeply indebted to all those who made this possible."

Lucy West, a committee member of the Shipley History Society, added: “I think all of us there found finally seeing the reliquary a very moving experience and how incredible that it had survived the upheavals of the past 800 years and was still in such perfect condition.”

Horsham Museum’s new curator Nikki Caxton said: “I am so delighted to have the reliquary as a star feature of our medieval collection.”

Ms Caxton, who previously worked at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, explained that the enamelling on the piece was a perfect example of Champlevé Enamelling. Information about how it was made is available on the V&A website, https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/how-was-it-made-champlev%C3%A9-enamelling

Chris Allen, the current vicar at St Marys the Virgin in Shipley, said: "The Church has always given glory to God by using things of beauty in its worship and devotion. The Shipley Reliquary is a stunning piece of medieval religious art which Shipley Church inherited from the medieval centuries.

"Placed near the altar, it would have been a fitting artefact in which to house a relic of a saint. Reliquaries sometimes housed what was taken to be a piece of the true Cross, for instance, and thus a tangible link with the beginnings of the Christian faith. We are delighted that it is now housed in Horsham Museum where it can be seen by all and be the object of further study by the international community of scholars"

Everyone can now go and see the reliquary at the newly refurbished Horsham Museum and Art Gallery at 9 Causeway, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1HE. The Museum has been collecting objects relating to Horsham and the wider District since 1893 and is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm, and all days across bank holiday weekends, 10am to 4pm.