[3] William Caygill, a metal detector enthusiast discovered the hoard on 22 June 1993 within the grounds of Cotescue Park, on the south-west edge of the small market town of Middleham.

[4] The pots were found in the grounds of Cotescue Park, which had been a royal hunting lodge, and is situated just north of the town of Coverham, about 1.2 miles (2 km) south-west of Middleham Castle.

In the 17th century Cotescue Park was the seat of Sir Christopher Croft (died 1649), who was Lord Mayor of York in 1629 and 1641.

Although Middleham Castle did not see any fighting during the Civil War, it was partially demolished some time after 1646 so that it could not be used as a garrison.

[7] The three pots in which the coins were buried in are all rather similar types of mid-seventeenth century kitchen ware.

They are all handled jars that would have been used in the kitchen, and as they show no signs of being used for cooking it has been surmised that they would have been used for food storage.

It is also possible that some of the counterfeit English coins were made locally, such as copy of a Charles I shilling from the York mint.