Finials have been used for thousands of years as decorative elements placed at the top or end of a building or other structure. Depending on where they were, or are, used, they could be made of wood, stone or metal. Wooden finials can be found at the end of wooden pews in churches, for example, whereas finials on roofs are likely to be stone or metallic.
This month’s Object of the Month is a filial that dates from the 15th century CE. Made of stone, it was part of either a tomb or a shrine that was mounted onto a wall. The filial was discovered in a garden in Newland Street and was kindly donated to the museum by Dr Bryan Hyde.