Silver locket relic set

Image by Paul Gardner

Silver locket relic set

early 18th century
Silver, horn, hair, paper, textile

With February being the month most associated with the heart, our Object of the Month is this silver locket which is said to contain a segment of James II’s heart. The locket is part of a three-piece relic, consisting of a drawstring velvet pouch decorated in metallic thread and a circular box made from horn with gilt quilled paper, the hair of James II and a blue garter ribbon. The inscription on the locket reads ‘Reg. Iac: Secundi Pericardium’, referring to the segment of the heart of James II.

This curious object is an example of many Stuart relics said to be directly linked to James II, who reigned as king of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1685 until 1688. Used as keepsakes to remember loved ones or worn as jewellery to express romantic devotion, relics and lockets were common possessions among the upper and middle classes of 18th century Europe and often contained items such as locks of hair. These objects were also equally important in signifying political allegiance. 

Left: Heart-shaped brooch said to contain the hair of Prince Charles Edward Stewart and given to him by Lady Mary Clark, 18th century, National Museums Scotland, H.NGB 65

Right: Small locket with hair alleged to have been that of Prince Charles Edward Stuart, with Prince of Wales feathers in the centre, 1720 – 1788, National Museums Scotland , H.NA 324

James II was exiled to France in 1688 due to his Catholicism, which threatened the Protestant establishment, and his attempts to rule without the oversight of parliament. On his death in 1701, the remains of James II’s body were distributed as relics between ecclesiastical institutions in order to promote the Jacobite cause and to highlight his piety. During the Jacobite risings of the 1700s and the long exile of the Stuarts, possessing one of these lockets was a sign of hidden loyalty to the ‘outlawed’ Stuart dynasty. It can be argued that the distribution of these relics extended James II’s political reach and influence even after his death.

As this Object of the Month is part of a three-piece relic, alongside the heart-shaped locket is a circular box made from horn, decorated with gilt quilled paper. Quilling or paper filigree is an art form that involves strips of paper that are rolled, shaped, and glued together to create three-dimensional designs. The word ‘quilling’ is thought to reference the bird feathers, or ‘quills’ that were used as tools to roll the strips of paper. Although this art form is believed to have originated in Ancient times, quilling saw its greatest popularity during the 18th and 19th centuries, practiced mostly by affluent women across Europe and was immortalised in Jane Austen’s first novel, Sense and Sensibility.

Locket, silver, heart shaped, with busts of Charles I and II, and Henrietta Maria, 1600 – 1700, unknown artist, Victoria and Albert Museum, 827-1864

Many lockets with royal portraits were made in the late 17th century to show support for the Stuart Kings, like these lockets shown above depicting busts of Charles I and II. The act of wearing lockets close to the body or, symbolically, close to the heart, can be traced back to the Medieval period. Small pendants were made to contain holy tokens or fragments of bone or hair from a martyred saint. Many followers of the Christian faith believed them to serve as an amulet to protect the wearer against spiritual evils.

Many relics and lockets were worn as jewellery to express romantic devotion or to celebrate betrothals. In December 2019, a metal detectorist in Warwickshire found a beautiful Tudor Heart jewel associated with Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon. The pendant features enamelled motifs and is decorated with a white and red Tudor rose entwined with a pomegranate - the emblem of Queen Katherine, representing fertility and her Spanish homeland. The reverse is decorated with the initials ‘H’ and ‘K’ united by a tasselled cord.

Our Object of the Month for February is part of the Stuart and Jacobite collection at Chiddingstone Castle and can be found on display in the Print Room. This post was written by collections volunteer Olivia Drysdale, who chose and researched this object. 

This object is just one of the many objects that form part of Denys Eyre Bower’s five impressive collections which include Ancient Egyptian, Japanese, Buddhist, Stuart and Jacobite, and Books. For more information on these objects, review our Object of the Month series, visit the Historic House and Collections or contact our Curator, Naomi Collick by email or by calling 01892 870347.