A TREASURE hunter who illegally dug up an old gold ring died just 12 days later under mysterious circumstances.

Joan Cawley says her 38-year-old son Peter came across the 17th century posy ring on October 29, 2001. A few days later Mr Cawley's body was found near their home in Avebury Tresloe. He died of severe head injuries.

The 350-year-old posy ring, inscribed with the words Noe recompense but love, was found as Mr Cawley carried out an unauthorised search of grassland at Manor Farm, Avebury Trusloe.

It was crafted by renown 17th century Marlborough goldsmith William Gough I. The love token, which pre-dates 1700 and would have been worn by a man or a woman, was yesterday declared treasure by Wiltshire Coroner David Masters. "I seize it on behalf of the Crown," he declared.

Mr Masters told the hearing that Mr Cawley did not have permission to search the World Heritage Site land and in the past he had been refused to do so by farmer Robin Butler, 55, whose family have farmed the land since 1936.

But, after carrying out a search and finding the ring, Mr Cawley reported it to the farmer as well as Paul Robinson, curator of Devizes-based Wiltshire Heritage Museum.

"Since the find was made Mr Cawley has died," Mr Masters told the hearing. "His mother has written to Mr Robinson to indicate that, in the circumstances, she is happy for the find to be passed to the museum."

Mr Butler confirmed that the ring was found by Mr Cawley on Manor Farm land at a depth of four inches. No other items were detected in the search, which he stressed was without permission.

Dr Paul Robinson, curator of Wiltshire Heritage Museum, said the inscribed, plain exterior ring was stamped with the mark WG, which indicated its maker to be William Gough, who worked as a goldsmith in Marlborough in the 1600s.

As well as being Mayor of Marlborough twice, he was recorded to have lost £1,134 in a fire which ravaged the town in 1653 a large sum for the time.

"Rarely do you get two rings the same," Dr Robinson said. "They had either a romantic or religious format and this could have been a ring given on engagement."

He added that Wiltshire Heritage Museum is keen to purchase the ring for display when its value is determined by the British Museum.

The museum's Lisa Voden-Decker confirmed that an independent valuation on the ring is being carried out by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.