A 1,000-year-old ring found in a field could fetch over £10,000 when it goes up for auction this month.

Peter Pawel, 46, found the Saxon-age jewellery with his metal detector while out digging near Pulborough in 2021.

The ring may have been owned by royalty and is expected to sell for thousands at the end of November.

Speaking about the find, Peter said he discovered the ring on Father’s Day in June 2021 having told his nine-year-old daughter Maya that he would “bring home gold today”.

Peter was surprised to find the ring in a pasture field in Greatham having only been using a metal detector for roughly a year at the time.

The Argus: Peter Pawel found a 10th century Saxon ringHe added: “I saw a yellow colour in the clump of clay. Looking closely, it looked like gold but thought it was just a cheap funfair item.”

Experts from auction house Noonans say that the ring dates to the 10th century and is decorated with filigree and inlaid with green and blue enamel.

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The ring was recorded and disclaimed as treasure.

Nigel Mills, a coin and artefact specialist, added: “In 1086, the village where the ring was found was recorded as Gretham with the Manor House owned by Queen Edith, widow of Edward the Confessor and regarded as the richest woman in England.

“Lavish rings from the 10th and 11th century are rare and normally have a religious significance.”

The ring is set to go on auction on November 28 and is expected to fetch around £12,000.

Peter says that the money will be split between himself and the landowners. He plans to use his share to take his family on holiday.

The Argus: A 10th century Saxon ringThe news comes as statistics showed that treasure finds in West Sussex hit record highs last year having been on the rise since the Covid-19 lockdowns.

The figures for West Sussex were the highest since records began in 1997.

The rise has been blamed on a growing number of metal detectorists.

A Department for Culture, Media and Sport survey found an estimated 1% of adults in England said they had taken part in metal detecting at least once in the last 12 months.