File:Hinger harness decoration; lion queue fourchy (FindID 243468).jpg

English: A cast copper-alloy rectangular horse-harness pendant, decorated on both faces. It is complete with loop in the centre of one long side, pierced from side to side. The design is in relief, of a lion rampant queue fourchy; it appears on both faces and is the right way up when the loop is held to one side. There are traces of gilding visible on each of the lions. Measurements: 35 mm x 35 mm including loop.

The combination of traces of gilding on the lions and the fact that the lions have forked tails is enough to cut the list of possible owners down to three; the possible families are the Burghersh, Stapletons or Kingstons, who were all active at much the same period, i.e. circa 1270-1325.

The Burghersh (modern Burwash) family offers two candidates, Stephen, who served in the Falkirk campaign, dying in 1310, and his brother Bartholomew, who died in 1355. They were sons of Robert de Burghersh, who held lands in Sussex and Kent and held the prestigious posts of constable of Dover Castle and warden of the Cinque Ports from 1299 until his death in 1306. In spite of the fact that their father used gules, a cross argent, a label or, both of his sons used gules, a lion rampant queue fourchy (with a forked tail) or.

The next possibility is Robert de Stapleton of Stapleton in Shropshire and Staffordshire, who was summoned to serve against the Scots in 1297, 1301, and 1319, and recorded as living in 1324. Robert used azure, a lion rampant queue fourchy or, and may have been a relative of the Miles de Stapleton who is recorded as using argent, a lion rampant sable, sometimes queue fourchy. Miles de Stapleton was constable of Knaresborough Castle, Yorkshire, in 1300, and steward of the household of the future Edward II in 1306; he died at Bannockburn (1314).

The final, and perhaps most likely, contender for ownership of this pendant is John de Kingston of Wiltshire. There is some doubt whether references to John de Kingston refer to one man or two, father and son; in either case, the career of the individual(s) involved was long. John de Kingston used sable, a lion rampant queue fourchy or, and first turns up in the records of Edward I's Welsh campaigns, being listed as serving for Ralph Pipard in 1277, and for John de Lenham in 1282. In 1298 he served at Falkirk, and was constable of Edinburgh Castle in the period 1298-1305. However, he appears to have been antipathetic to Edward II, and fought against him at Boroughbridge; following the rebels' defeat, he fled overseas to save his life, and is listed as forfeiting his Wiltshire lands in 1322. He was still living in 1325.