A LATE medieval dress fitting discovered in Cerne Abbas, near Dorchester, has been declared as treasure.

West Dorset Coroner Michael Johnston said the object dated from the late 15th century, and was silver gilt with plain silver spheres which may have been intended to simulate pearls.

The treasure inquest was told that the find was sent to the British Museum and a report was put together by the Curator of Medieval Collections James Robinson.

In a statement, Mr Robinson described the dress fitting as lozenge-shaped, with a sphere attached to each corner and a central collet set with a pale pink stone.

He said two of the corners had been bent out of shape and the surface was decorated with roughly incised lines and the edges were serrated. Mr Johnston said that the fitting was 13mm in length and 14mm in width and was found by Alan Davis of Headswell Avenue, Bournemouth, on March 4.

He said it contained the minimum 10 per cent metal and that in view of its age it qualified as treasure and he seized it for the Crown.

Mr Johnston did not say how much the dress fitting was worth.