THE history of the Anglo-Saxon mint at Lydford is one of the papers included in the new Devonshire Association volume of transactions.
The association ? officially the Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science, Literature and the Arts ? publishes an annual journal, the current 134th volume being 300 pages of ?new information about the county of Devon?.
The paper on the mint at Lydford was written by John Allan, curator of antiquities at Exeter Museums.
It analyses the output of the silver mint and the history of coinage from around 973AD to around 1050AD and was first produced to mark the millennium of the Viking raid on Lydford and Tavistock of 997.
The names of 15 moneyers recorded ? including Bruna, Aelfric and Godwine ? represent some of the earliest named individuals in the history of Devon.
The moneyers were responsible for minting about 1.5 million silver pennies, of which some 400 have been found, mostly in Scandinavia.
Lydford ranked 34th among English mints for the period 973-1066AD, above such places as Bristol, Nottingham and Derby, and at the height of its activity was among the top dozen mints.
Also included in the journal are papers on Bere Ferrers, Plympton, Ilsington and South Molton, together with scientific reports on botany and entomology and reports on the activities of the various specialist sections of the association.
Non-members can obtain copies of this volume for £22 plus postage and packing from The Registrar, Devonshire Association, Bowhill, Dunsford Road, Exeter, EX4 1LQ, tel: 01392 252461.