A BRONZE Age gold torque has been handed back to a stately home after being on long-term loan to a town council for 50 years.

Richmond Town Council held a special ceremony to officially return the historic bracelet to Kiplin Hall after a long-running battle between the organisations over where the torque should be kept.

The town council had been presented with the torque bracelet in 1965 by the last owner of Kiplin Hall, Bridget Talbot, with the intention of it being worn by the mayor or mayoress, as she was concerned for its safekeeping when the estate was facing an uncertain future.

The torque was discovered in the grounds of Kiplin Hall with two others in the 19th Century, and it has recently been identified by the British Museum as most likely dating to the late Bronze Age.

The treasure became a contentious issue among the council and Kiplin Hall over who should retain ownership, as some councillors claimed Ms Talbot had expressed a wish for it to remain with the council as long as there was a mayor.

But Kiplin Hall curators said the piece was of historical importance and should be kept as an exhibition piece in its museum.

The issue was resolved earlier this year when the council agreed to make a copy of the torque and return the original to Kiplin Hall.

The Kiplin Hall Trust said it had worked very hard and imaginatively over many years to ensure that the estate has a bright and sustainable future.

Councillor Clive World, Mayor of Richmond, said: “Kiplin Hall is an accredited museum and so returning the torque will enable it to be displayed, and protected, in the environment from whence it came.

“It will be on display with other artefacts from this historic estate and help to illustrate the long history of man in the immediate vicinity of Kiplin.”

Christopher Robson, chairman of the Kiplin Hall Trustees, received the torque from the town council and, in return, presented a copy to the mayor.

The copy has been paid for jointly by the trust and public subscription and it is hoped it will serve as a reminder of the links between Richmond and Kiplin Hall.

The torque will be on public display as part of the Charting Chipeling: 1,001 Finds archaeology exhibition.

The exhibition is open at Kiplin Hall from 2pm to 5pm on Good Friday, Easter Saturday and then Sunday to Wednesday until October 28.