More details of the proposals were released yesterday: in brief, closing Modern Languages and Film Studies. Redundancies in History. Merging Chemistry, Geography, Geology and Environment. Cuts to College Operations. Fate of Education still unclear. 163 posts at risk www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Someone described keeping as doing 300 squats while a succession of lunatics launch cannonballs at you with a dancing clown blocking your view. And then everyone gets mad when you miss one…

And if you’re as fond of this improbable pile of rocks as I am, there happens to be a UK freepost offer on teemill tonight: incurablearchaeologist.teemill.com/search/?sear...

Sorry, my reply was unhelpful. My manager is telling me that nothing good ever came from discussing a joke on the internet, and she is a wise old hound, so I offer this picture by way of apology.

It’s a joke! And a very good one, judging by the number and tenor of the reactions! Try typing in any small snippet of text…

Lack's paper has more detail about Sutton's connection to St James and Compostela, e.g. funding pilgrim roof bosses in St Andrew's bell tower. So I think the 'pilgrim' ID is fair, but you've got a point - some elements in the grave could equally mark his profession.
drive.google.com/file/d/1rr07...

The report by Helen Lubin has quite an extensive discussion of the shell, but there is still some uncertainty. It's an old booklet, but there's a wonky scan available online: www.nederlandsetinvereniging.nl/wp-content/u...

Could also be that the shell was a more personal memento. But as the old archaeologists' maxim goes, the dead don't bury themselves. And it was likely that his pilgrim days were behind him. Might have been a readily available substitute for a scallop that had been lost/buried/used as an offering?

...and a nod to his profession. And this was probably done in funeral preparations, not whilst it was in use during his lifetime. So perhaps both staff and shell contain multiple symbols. Unfortunately we're missing the head: it was on the headwear that scallop shells/badges were often worn.

Excellent point and a sound suggestion. In favour of the cockle being a symbol of pilgrimage are its position in the grave - next to the top of the staff with a lace end, suggested it was tied to the staff. But the staff itself has multiple cues: it's painted purple with kermes, an expensive dye...