On the Prick Spur 27 



inches, and the side, which is preserved in its entirety, terminates 

 in an ornamented cruciform plate, to which the strap was rivetted. 

 The end of the other side is unfortunately broken off. Its 

 date is probably the latter half of the tenth century or the 

 beginning of the eleventh. Another spur having the inserted 

 point is shown on the same plate, and is taken from a spur in 

 the British Museum. It is of brass, but, I think, is a repro- 

 duction, though not perhaps of modern make. If it is the 

 original spur, it has been marvellously preserved from the effects 

 of damp and rust. Here the neck differs from any of the 

 preceding in being partly cylindrical and partly hexagonal, 

 the latter part increasing rapidly in thickness, so that the flat 

 surface into which the point is inserted is an inch in diameter. 

 The total length is five inches, the neck and point one and 

 a quarter inches, the sides three and a half inches, with a 

 spread of three and a half inches. The sides terminate in 

 small rectangular plates, to which the straps were rivetted. 



The next arrangement of the prick spur that was devised 

 for the prevention of any undue penetration was the "ball and 

 spike" form. 



A very interesting pair of spurs of this form are in the 

 possession of H. G. Radford, Esq. They were found, I believe, 

 at Lyme Regis, and are in a wonderfully good state of 

 preservation. They are iron spurs, gilt, and a great deal of 

 the gilding still remains. The sides are very slender, and 

 slightly curved, triangular in section, being flat on the inside. 

 They end in small rounded knobs, from the inside of which 

 project small, irregular hexagonal plates for the attachment of 



