Roman coin haul found in National Trust study

THE National Trust has discovered a “significant” collection of Roman coins hidden in a drawer at one of its properties, Scotney Castle, in Kent.

Despite opening the house to the public a decade ago, staff have yet to inspect all of its contents.

Trust volunteers searching for photographs in a study drawer stumbled upon the collection of 186 coins, dating across 25 centuries.

The bulk of the haul is made up of Roman coins, ranging from the 2nd century BC to the late 4th century AD. It also includes a Greek coin from 600-550 BC, one of the earliest struck in Europe, bearing the picture of a sea turtle – a creature sacred to Aphrodite.

Scotney Castle was home to the Hussey family for 200 years, and residents included Baroness Thatcher. It is thought the collections were amassed in the 19th century by Edward Hussey III.