This campaign has now closed
We will bring back to Lancashire a beautiful silver object with links to the county’s Catholic heritage and to the Preston Lamb, symbol of the city. It will be shown at the Harris Museum for all to enjoy. The pyx is from the 17th century, when Catholicism was banned - it was illegal even to own one.
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Beneficiaries
Situation
Two years ago, a metal detectorist discovered a small silver container in a field near the M61 in Lancashire. He reported his find and, after researching it, the British Museum declared the pyx to be Treasure. The finder and landowner are therefore entitled to receive the value of the item - £1000. The Harris Museum has been invited to buy the pyx for this amount.
Solution
The Friends of the Harris will raise the money for the pyx to be acquired for the Harris Museum, bringing it back to Lancashire where it was found. The project will enable the museum to put the pyx on display and hold a public talk about its history and significance as a rare example of local Catholic history. It was probably dropped by a priest carrying consecrated communion wafers to mass, at a time when Catholic worship was illegal and had to take place in secret.