A FUNDRAISING mission has been launched to keep a relic from Middlewich’s history in the town.

Kerry Fletcher, Middlewich Town Council’s heritage officer, is asking for the support of Guardian readers so that a rare 17th century ring can be put on permanent display.

The gold ‘mourning’ ring has an inscription on it which says ‘Death is the waye to life’ and was classified as treasure at an inquest in Crewe.

It matched two rings in the British Museum with the makers’ mark ‘TS’, dated 1658 and 1669.

Kerry said: “This beautiful ring would have been worked on by a very fine craftsman.”

During that era, Middlewich was recovering from a huge battle that took place in 1643.

The English Civil War had claimed the lives of 213 people in the town - almost half of the then population of 450.

With houses and farmland damaged it was a slow recovery for the town and the plague hit just three years later.

When the plague abated in 1649, Middlewich made a slow recovery.

Kerry added: “The gold ring was probably commissioned during the Restoration.

“It’s interesting that a family in Middlewich had the kind of money and status for such a ring when many occupants in the town were in such desperate need.”

The ring was found by Chadwick Road resident Michael Farrington while metal detecting on farmland.

It was discovered on land once belonging to the Venables-Vernon family, the Barons of Kinderton.

Kerry said: “In Middlewich, although Roman finds are plenty, we rarely see any objects of the 17th century, although documents held at the Chester Record Office prove that Middlewich was trading and that the landowners of the day were making a sizeable income from salt-making.”

The ring has been valued at £1,900 and is currently in the care of the British Museum.

But Middlewich Town Council has been given a chance to buy the ring - if funds can be secured within four months.

Kerry said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity to have this item to show to the community, it represents a difficult period in the lives of Middlewich people but also the status of the landowners.”

Michael, 48, a member Crewe and Nantwich Metal Detecting Club, stumbled upon the ring on November 1, 2010.

He added: “I spoke to the landowner and his wife and we’re all made up that it looks like the ring is going to stay in the town as there was talk of Chester buying it.

“I had no idea at the time that it would be such an important find. It will add to our understanding of Middlewich’s history.”

A ‘people’s fund’ is in the process of being established to raise funds for the mourning ring. The details will be published in a future edition of the Guardian.