Article reproduced from TLHS Newsletter No. 109 (April 2026)
In 2020, a remarkable discovery was made on the uplands near Turton: a delicate gold armlet dating back around 4,000 years to the early Bronze Age (c.2100–1900 BC). The object, now known as the Turton Armlet, is one of only a handful of prehistoric gold artefacts ever found in Lancashire, making it a find of considerable archaeological importance.
The armlet was discovered by a metal detectorist and subsequently recorded through the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Such discoveries are carefully documented, although exact find locations are not made public in order to protect archaeological sites from disturbance or illegal detecting.
Weighing just 44.3 grams, the armlet is made from sheet gold and decorated with an intricate embossed pattern. When the current exhibition at Clitheroe Castle Museum opened, the gold content alone was estimated to be worth around £3,500, rising to approximately £5,200 with recent increases in gold prices. Yet as an archaeological artefact its real value is immeasurable, offering a tangible link to the lives and beliefs of people who lived here four millennia ago.
At a recent talk at Clitheroe Castle Museum, jeweller Claire Bowes explored how such an object might have been crafted using Bronze Age techniques. Her discussion highlighted the remarkable skill of prehistoric metalworkers. The armlet was likely created by casting gold into a disc, which was then pierced, hammered and repeatedly annealed (heated and cooled) to soften the metal as it was shaped. The final decorative pattern may have been produced by gently hammering the gold sheet over a carved wooden mandrel, producing the distinctive ridged design we see today.
The deliberate burial of such a valuable object suggests it held considerable importance. Archaeologists believe the armlet may have been placed in the ground as a ritual deposit or possibly for safekeeping.
The discovery also raises intriguing local questions. Who originally owned such a striking item? Was it worn by a high-status individual living in the Turton area, or by someone travelling through the landscape? And how many other traces of prehistoric activity might still lie hidden beneath our fields and moorlands?
After the close of the Hidden Hoards and Fascinating Finds exhibition at Clitheroe Castle Museum in March, the Turton Armlet is expected to go on display at Lancaster City Museum, giving more people the opportunity to see this remarkable object.
More detail about the find is given on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database at finds.org.uk.
