stirrup

Pair of stirrups of identical design, formed as a D-sectioned C-shape frame, the arms supporting a footplate of circular shape with a central cross-bar running along the axis of the main stirrup frame. One side of the footplate loop has a serrated upper edge with the outerward-facing band decorated with pricked scrollwork decoration of typical seventeenth-century style. The top of the frames have a suspensionloop with a central pierced heart shape, on either side of which is pricked scrollwork decoration. The frame arms have an leaf-like design extnding from top and bottom with a four-petalled flower design in the centre. The underlying field is made up of vertical incised parallel lines. The accession register states that the stirrups were formerly Oliver Cromwell's but no reason is given for why this was thought to be so (but see letter in Blue Files from Walter Rye).