The objects you describe were discovered during an excavation by Wessex Archaeology at Pinglestone Farm, Old Alresford, in 1997. They were found in the burial site of a man whose circumstances are shrouded in mystery. He was interred in a shallow grave on a hillside, a location that falls outside consecrated ground.
The collection of artifacts includes eight coins, a thimble with a string inside, a finger ring, and two tags that may have once served as purse mounts. Although the coins were minted during the Tudor period, they show extensive wear and signs of frequent use, suggesting that they were not buried before the early 17th century. These coins consist of small denominations, such as six pence, a groat (four pence), three pence, two pence, a penny, and a half-penny. These amounts, while modest, would have been sufficient to purchase a winding sheet and conduct some form of funeral ceremony.
The fact that these coins were still with the individual at the time of burial suggests that he may not have been a criminal or a victim of foul play. Additionally, since the coins indicate a burial date prior to the English Civil War, it becomes less likely that the cause of death was violence.
One plausible hypothesis is that the man died from the plague, and as a precaution to prevent the spread of the disease among the living, he was quickly interred in a location away from human habitation. The thimble found in the grave could potentially provide insights into the man's occupation or simply be one of his personal possessions, further deepening the intrigue surrounding this enigmatic burial.