A mace
A mace (Mace), c.1553This mace was made for the Corporation of Stratford-upon-Avon in 1553, around the time the Corporation was founded. The Corporation was the governing body of Stratford-upon-Avon, much like a town council today. Many of the men serving on such councils were of middling status: people like William Shakespeare’s father, John Shakespeare. John was a glover, but he also served as bailiff (mayor) in 1568 and alderman before then. Maces were used to symbolise the power of the state, and many governing bodies had one. This mace has a long silver stem and a large silver bowl. The royal arms of Henry VIII decorate one end of the mace while the arms of the Corporation appear at the other, signifying the connection between the Corporation and the Crown. This connection was important to the reputation of the Corporation as their authority to govern came from the King himself.
Maces were used on special, ceremonial occasions like pageants or feasts. They were looked after and carried by the sergeant-at-mace – a member of the Corporation who was responsible for ceremonial objects and occasions. These events in themselves were symbolic, put on to display the wealth, authority and tradition of the Corporation. Civic reputation was important for the whole town, as well as for the men who ran it. The Corporation’s reputation – how well they governed the town and handled its finances for instance – had a big impact on the infrastructure of the town, for instance trade and building. Ceremonial objects like this mace were public displays of the town’s success.
| Object Type | Mace |
| Year | c.1553 |
| Material | Metal, silver, gold |
| Discovered | Stratford-upon-Avon |
| Owned By | SBT 1868-3/1043.2 |
| Keywords | displaying; wearing; owning; administration; allegiance; civic; reputation; ceremony; performance; metal |
| Image Credit | Mace (c. 1553), SBT 1868-3/1043.2, CC-BY-NC-ND; Image Courtesy of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. |