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Brian Sellick, who lives near Torpoint in Cornwall, dug the medallion-like object up in his garden about 10 years ago, not knowing it was an item that dated back to 1703.

Mr Sellick recently googled the words which appear on the object – Christ’s Hospital – and he discovered the website of a charitable school which was established in London in 1552, whose crest matched the one on the object.

After emailing the school to find out more, he was informed by the school’s museum that he had found a 'leave ticket'.

Brian Sellick, who lives near Torpoint in Cornwall, dug the medallion-like object up in his garden about 10 years ago, not knowing it was an item that dated back to 1703.

Mr Sellick said: "I’m delighted to discover the story behind the curious little medallion I dug up in the garden – the school’s museum and records must be top notch.

"I am blown away by everything about Christ's Hospital; what an amazing place for youngsters to be able to learn and develop their skills.

"I have been puzzling how the leave ticket may have got in our garden. As the area borders the river Tamar, where there is a history of seafaring, it could well have been lost by ancient seafarers when coming ashore. I have found several other artefacts including a marble bottle stopper, clay pipes and other items of interest from the past."

The leave ticket entitled pupils in its days to leave the schools premises in Newgate Street, London, for half or sometimes a full day.

After emailing the school to find out more, he was informed by the school’s museum that he had found a 'leave ticket' in his garden.

The school has since moved to the Horsham district.

Mike Barford, from Christ's Hospitals Museum, explained: "A pupil who was granted a leave ticket wore it suspended from a buttonhole in their coat; if they were caught outside the school without a leave ticket, they would be in serious trouble.

"To appreciate why it was so treasured, it helps to know that pupils were not allowed to go home even in the holidays and had to stay in the school 365 nights a year for the seven years they were usually at school for.

"A leave ticket was therefore the only opportunity to escape the school for a while.’ Of course, things are very different these days and pupils at Christ’s Hospital can go home for leave weekends, half terms and main school holidays."

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