On my way back to the airport I popped into
to see The Cheapside Hoard.
Its an amazing story,
back in 1912 some workmen were demolishing a building in Cheapside, East London,
when under the basement in the earth they saw something sparkle.
They had stumbled across a massive hoard hidden by a 17th century jeweller.
But know one know why he hid it?
There are theories including that he was a Royalist supporter during the Civil War and had been asked to hid it so the jewels could slowly be realised to pay for the campaign.
But we do know it was buried between 1640 and 1666, as one piece had a date on it and the building it was under was built after the Great Fire of London, yet the bottom of the basement was pre that, so obviously survived the flames.
Its one of those stories you can let your imagination run wild with.
Because of the nature of the exhibition security is very tight, so no coats, bags and definitely no cameras, so all of these images are the Museums gorgeous postcards.
As they are from the Tudor period there is a lot of enamel, which I do love.
can you imagine having the patience to carve these tiny (1cm) grapes out of emeralds?
You can just picture these beautiful enamelled chains draped round and over tightly laced Elizabethan corseted bodices.
Its a stunning exhibition, and I bet you go through going 'I wish I had that or that or that'
Definitely worth seeing and its on till April 27 2014.
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