Bronze Age Ring Uncovered in UK

"It had lain undiscovered for around 3,000 years.

But now a ring dating back to the Bronze Age has been uncovered by a Winchester metal detector enthusiast, an inquest heard.

Alan Cracknell was on the verge of giving up his search for the day when he came across the rare find.

In his 30 years doing the weekend hobby, Mr Cracknell had found items like buttons and buckles from the Georgian period to the medieval period, but nothing like this."

Read more HERE.

Link to Wartime Indian Mules?

"Out metal detecting on his family’s croft recently, Donald Matheson of Inverasdale, and Wester Ross, came across some items which may hold the clue to a WWII mystery.

He unearthed a series of curved pieces of metal and one by one has pieced them together – and realized that they are in fact tiny horseshoes. Thinking they possibly belonged to Shetland ponies as they were so small, he took them to a local retired blacksmith who instantly referred to them as belonging to the ‘wartime Indian mules’.

When he was younger, Donald had heard stories of an Indian soldier’s camp being in the Loch Ewe area during the war – but no one seemed to be able to establish the truth. So, with his exciting metal find, he is beginning to piece the story together with the help of those in the area who lived through the war."

Read more HERE.

Roman "Cathouse" Token

"An amateur archeologist out walking along the River Thames with his metal detector discovered a rare and unique coin believed to be about 2,000 years old.

Regis Cursan, 37, discovered the long-hidden bronze token (described as 'spintria') in the mud near Putney Bridge, West London, at low tide. The spintria, believed by experts to be a token used in ancient Roman brothels, depicts two people in a sex act.

According to the Daily Mail, historians believe it is the first token of its type to be found in Britain."

Read more HERE.

Image Credit: Museum of London

UK Boys Dig Up Silver Ring

"An amazing archaeological find was unearthed in Sleaford by a pair of teenagers – one of whom had never used a metal detector before.

Philip Ingram-Jannetta, 15, and 17-year-old Lee Partridge had only been hunting for treasure for five minutes when they unearthed the large ornate 16th century silver gilt finger ring buried three inches under the surface.

The ring, which bears the initials I.S. on a hexagonal bezel, was probably used as the official seal of a wealthy local landowner and designed to fit over the gloved finger of the wearer, perhaps while riding."


Read more HERE.


Image credit: Lincolnshire Echo

Bronze Age Gold Popped in UK

"A Gainsborough metal detecting enthusiast unearthed a rare piece of Bronze Age gold while searching a field near the town, an inquest in Lincoln was told last week.

The 4,000 year old strip of decorated gold is the first of its type to have been found in Lincolnshire and experts have described it as an important find.

John Bennett of Claremont Street, Gainsborough, found the item in July this year while checking out a ploughed field in the Corringham area."

Read more HERE.

Image Credit: The Guardian

Norwich UK Finds

"A medieval silver brooch and a Bronze Age collection of axe heads were among the items declared treasure at an inquest held in Norwich.

In total, the tales of six groups of valuable artefacts from ages past and how they were found were told at yesterday’s inquest.

Among the hoard was a collection of 14 socketed axes, which were disturbed by machine from their site of rest on land near Aylsham, the owner of which is Lord Walpole.

The axes all date to the Ewart Park metalwork phase reaching back further than 800BC, and were discovered in March by Robert and James Alston who were using a metal detector at the time."

Read more HERE.

Gold Ring in UK Saved from the Dirt

"A metal detection enthusiast scouring the soil around Thurcroft unearthed a 14th century gold ring studded with a ruby and an emerald, an inquest heard.

Metal finishing plant worker Paul McEvoy, 44, found the medieval finger ring just six inches beneath the surface.

He had been using his metal detector to search a stubble field in Thurcroft"


Read more HERE.

UK Stone Priory Unearthed in Surrey

"A medieval seal thought to have once belonged to Stone Priory in north Staffordshire has been discovered in a field in Surrey.

The bronze object, which bears the image of the Virgin and Child, was found in Cobham by a metal detector enthusiast.

Finds Liaison Officer for Surrey County Council, David Williams, said it was a "complete mystery" how the seal had ended up there.

It is thought to date from between the 13th and 14th Centuries."

Read more HERE.

Image Credit: BBC

Medievil Silver Seal is Treasure

"A 13th Century solid silver seal found on farmland in Cornwall has been declared treasure trove at an inquest.

The Latin-inscribed seal - once used to make a mark in hot wax - was discovered by metal detector enthusiast John Fereday in a field near Newquay.

Cornwall Coroner Emma Carlyon declared the seal to be treasure at a special inquest hearing in Truro."

Read more HERE.

Image Credit: BBC

UK Kids Dig Up Some History

"Children hunting for a missing horseshoe made an impressive discovery in their back paddock.

Sally and Andy White were amazed when the youngsters unearthed a brick well just 20cm below the surface. Christopher, James and Lucy made the discovery when they were using a metal detector with their friend Tara.

Andy, who lives in Primrose Lane in Arlesey and is also a town councillor, said: 'They were asked to go out into our paddock and find, with a metal detector, a horseshoe for the farrier to refit.'"

Read more HERE.

Image Credit: Bigglewade Chronicle

Jar of Gold Coins Found in UK

"Digging deeper after unearthing a jam jar lid led a metal detecting enthusiast to discover 20 gold coins dating from the reigns of Charles I to Queen Victoria.

An inquest in Lynn yesterday heard the coins were believed to be stolen property and an appeal was made for information about who owned them, possibly more than a century ago.

Norfolk coroner William Armstrong said the coins were found by Mark Nicholson on March 14 while he was metal-detecting with permission on land near Walsoken owned by Mr Richard Stocks."

Read more HERE.

Image Credit: Lynn News

Full Time Meteor Hunting in UK

"Gazing up at the night sky, Rob Elliott is on constant alert for fireballs or streaks of light suddenly breaking up the darkness above him. As the UK's only full-time meteorite hunter, Elliott knows these falls from outer space can contain the most magnificent and exciting rock fragments created billions of years before the Earth was formed.

With specimens capable of fetching thousands of pounds depending on their rarity value – those from Mars and the Moon being the most prized – every meteorite shower is literally "treasure from Heaven".

A meteorite is a piece of a meteoroid or asteroid which has survived its journey through the Earth's atmosphere, falling to the ground without being destroyed. They are also known as fireballs or shooting stars."

Read more HERE.

Image Credit: The Scotsman

UK Beach Coughs Up WWI Medal

"A metal detector enthusiast is appealing for the family of a First World War serviceman to come forward after unearthing his medal on a beach.

Tom Neesam found a solid silver medal on Seaton Carew beach while out using his metal detector.

It belonged to Robert Henry Pollard, who was born in Hartlepool in 1886 and went on to receive three other war medals."

 Read more HERE.

Image Credit: Peterlee Mail

WWII UXO on UK Beach

"A novice metal dectoristist had the shock of his life when he dug up an unexploded WW2 bomb instead of treasure.

Colvyn Gillmon, 46, discovered the mortar bomb whilst out searching for hidden gold or metal artefacts near to Dorchester Cemetery on Saturday afternoon.

It was only the second time the Dorchester man had used his metal detector."

Read more HERE.

Image Credit: Steve Greaves

Stylized Silver Button

"A rare button which was found near Storrington has been formally declared treasure by the county coroner.

The 16th century silver button was discovered in a field by metal detector user Anthony Gill in February this year.

In a treasure trove inquest held in Chichester on Tuesday, coroner Penelope Schofield heard the intricate button featured a number of circles of metal which were attached to a main loop which was attached to clothing."

Read more HERE.

Image Credits: West Sussex County Times

Rallygoers Recover Ring

"A holidaymaking family have hailed two men at a Huttoft metal detecting rally after they came to their rescue when an engagement ring went missing on a local beach.

Sarah Lawrence, who hails from Cambridgeshire, was left distraught after she lost her treasured ring when her family were playing a game of volleyball on the beach in Sandilands on Saturday.

Sarah’s husband Chris, said: 'She obviously began to panic as anyone with an engagement or wedding ring would understand.'"

Read more HERE.

St. Ursula Badge is Treasure

"A scrap of twisted silver found a few weeks ago by a metal detector in Lancashire will take its place among masterpieces of medieval art at the British Museum, in an exhibition opening this week of the bejewelled shrines made to hold the relics of saints and martyrs.

The badge made of silver found by Paul King, a retired logistics expert, is a humble object to earn a place in an exhibition called Treasures of Heaven, but it is unique. It will sit among gold and silver reliquaries studded with gems the size of thumbnails – or the sockets from which they were wrenched by thieves – once owned by emperors, popes and princes."

Read more HERE.

Image Credits: The Guardian

Rediscovering a UK Cemetery

An interesting story that involves a largely taboo and unethical practive in the US. However, under the correct authority, a lot of good can come from it.

"...

As the project nears completion, council's Health and Regulation Committee chair Andrew Antoniolli said the volunteers had made many interesting discoveries along the way.

Some of the finds include forgotten graves at the Ipswich General Cemetery, the second oldest cemetery in Queensland, with evidence of burials from the 1840s.

'Grave locations previously unknown to Council have now been found as volunteers using metal detectors located a number of metal grave pegs buried just below the surface,' Cr Antoniolli said."

Read more HERE.

Image Credits: Sarah Harvey / The Queensland Times

King Arthur... Found!

This article is a Spoof/Satire, don't take it too serisouly... it's a fun read though.

"Deeply patriotic, anti foreigner, anti-immigration, anti Welsh, German detesting, pigeon loving, unemployed London taxi driver, Alfred Boulder, achieved his lifetime ambition yesterday when he finally tracked down King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.

They were all alive and well. Sleeping in a deep hole near Blackburn, Lancashire.

Unmarried 53 year year old Boulder from Plaistow, has been meticulously criss-crossing Britain for over 30 years. Using a metal detector to discover the elusive resting place of Arthur and his Knights."

Read more HERE.

Mudlarking? UK Offshoot of the MD Hobby

I found this article about what is seemingly an offshot of our metal detecting hobby, and even really an extension as many folks who enjoy this hobby in the UK utilize MD's in their adventures.

"...

'Mudlark' is an old term, dating back at least to Victorian river scavengers, and their modern-day counterparts took the name for themselves with a certain inverse pride. Ask a mudlark why he’s up to his knees in muck and detritus and you’ll probably hear about something he dug up in the garden when he was a little boy, or a childhood friend with a metal detector who pulled some brilliant thing out of the earth. (This is England, after all, a country my husband, the Irish poet Paul Muldoon, once said was 'coming down with history.')

..."


Read more HERE.

Image Credit: Emma Hardy / NY Times