Tokensof love found in the county through the centuries are to go on display.

The objects, some of which date from before St Valentine’s Day gained its current significance, have been collected by Oxfordshire County Council’s museums’ resource centre in Standlake, near Witney.

Among the trinkets is a 400-year-old gold ring found at Finstock, near Chipping Norton, which is decorated with flowers and hearts and inscribed on the inside with the message “Kindly take this for my sake”.

A County Hall spokesman said: “Rings such as this were often exchanged as gifts of love and used for weddings and betrothals — long before St Valentine’s Day became the recognised national day for expressing affection between couples in this country.

“The ring, which was reported to the coroner by its finder through the Treasure Trove process, will be purchased by the Oxfordshire museum service through the portable antiquities scheme, a voluntary programme set up to record archaeological objects found by members of the public in England and Wales.”

Other items in the collection include three 19th Century pieces found at Lower Heyford, near Bicester, by Miss D B Dew.

These include an apple corer made from a sheep’s knuckle bone carved with the words “Remember love remember” and “Must we part?”.

The corer is also inscribed with the initials “J H” in a diamond and a heart, the year 1852 and “A friend in need is a friend indeed”.

Another item is an elaborately carved wooden knitting sheath, decorated with the initials “S S” and the year 1808.

It also features a chain and hook carved from the same piece of wood, with inscriptions of hearts and diamonds.

The final piece in the trio is a carved wooden pipe stopper, used to firm tobacco in the pipe bowl before lighting, which has two kissing birds and a heart etched into its handle.

County councillor Jim Couchman, cabinet member for social and community services, said: “The museums’ resource centre is an excellent resource that holds many fascinating items detailing the heritage of Oxfordshire.”

The gold ring will go on display at the Oxfordshire Museum in Woodstock later in the year.

The museums resource centre will stage an open day on Sunday, May 10, when the other pieces will go on show.

People interested in viewing the items or becoming a volunteer can call 01865 300972 or email museums.resource.centre@oxfordshire.gov.uk tairs@oxfordmail.co.uk