Rev. David Royce (1817 – 1902), was born in Oakham (Rutland) and was the vicar of Lower Swell from 1850 until his death in 1902. He was a distinguished antiquarian and the author of several publications, the most notable being the Landboc, his edition of the registers of Winchcombe Abbey to which much of his collection relates. He was a member of the Bristol & Gloucestershire Archaeological Society from its foundation and following his death the contents of his library were donated to the Society by his wife. 

There is a total of 8,368 items in his collection which is currently split between the Gloucestershire Archives and the Corinium Museum in Cirencester; the following is an overview of the type of objects in the collection: 

• Flint axe heads, arrow heads and other tools plus large collections of worked flints dating from pre-historic times and mostly gathered in the local area. 
  
• Coins - several hundred, ranging from Roman to Mediaeval, including trade tokens – again many of them collected from the local countryside. 
  
• Wax Seals and dies, about 70 in number. 
  
• Pots and potsherds, dating back to the Bronze Age and the Roman occupation.
  
• Iron items, keys, buckles etc.
  
• Small Oriental figures from India and Egypt etc. Probably brought back by travellers and presented to the collection.