The cup, with winged dragon handles, is engraved ‘Northumberland Agricultural Society Show 1879.’ 40.7cm.
A lengthy inscription records the award of the cup to the entire herd of dairy shorthorn cattle bred by William Alleyne, 3rd Marquess of Exeter (1825-1895), on the Home Farm at Burghley.
It was a prize-winning herd and many individual animals won national awards, but it was unusual for an entire herd to be so recognised.
