Detecting

I did little more than walk on a field with two earthworks, roman road, burials, hoard etc that rarely produces anything but shotgun cartridge caps and found half of a medieval purse bar, a crotal bell and an heraldic horse harness pendant. The shotgun cartridge caps appear to have migrated half a mile or so to another field which produced a sword belt hanger buckle recently, as I dug a couple of dozen before finding an Edward I round farthing in quite good condition. I found a livery button with a shield design, tudor buckle and silver thimble at the Club Rally and rounded the week off with a Victorian silver brooch with 'Baby' on it.

Belmont House

We visited Belmont House, near Faversham last Sunday and thought it was really interesting and worth going back to, especially if we can get a sunny day. The most recent (18th century) building was designed by a lighthouse builder and from one side, the house looks like two lighthouses with a wall in between. They have over 300 clocks, quite a few are 17th century and must be worth a fortune. They have a special tour once a month by some expert from Greenwich who goes through the clocks in fine detail. We'd like to do that tour but they finish at the end of the month for the season so probably next year. They also have gardens to walk round which you can visit independently of the house, and although it was an umbrella job when we got to see them (the house tour took two hours) they were also very interesting and only slightly marred by the permanent marquee for the weddings they do. Nice tea and scones in the tea shop in the stables too.

Gold Sovereign

It has been an interesting sort of a week detecting wise, although it has now become a race against time as the whole farm at Chilham has been planted with Rape and the crop is up already! I found six roman 4th century AE3 coins including a really nice one of Constantine, Gloria Excercitus reverse. I also found a really good 17th century farthing token of John Solley at Wingham and also a crotal bell. Saturday, I went with the club to the Essex Detector Society Rally and pulled out a George III 1818 gold sovereign in the first hour. It was quite a strange rally looking at the finds cabinet. Only four coins - a hammered silver, William III sixpence, and two gold sovereigns, Mine and a Victoria jubilee head. The other few finds were mainly buckles of which two were found by Alan and Brian from our Swale club, and Alan actually won find of the day with his. It was really unusual with snakes' heads. The FLO said it was post medieval but we think it is probably earlier.

Finds

Andrew Richardson, FLO, had collected my disclaimed gold ring from the BM and from the report he emailed me it turns out it is a mourning or memorial ring, not a betrothal ring as I thought.

Kent: gold memorial ring (2004 T428)
Date: dated 1679; Finder: D. Villanueva; Date of discovery: 31 October 2004. Circumstances of discovery: While searching with a metal detector. Description: Gold ring, badly scratched, dented and bent out of shape, the exterior apart form an engraved skull, the interior inscribed in lower case: Prepare to follow WR (some letters unclear). There is also an illegible mark, possibly a maker’s mark, in a rectangular shield. Note: This is a standard type of memorial ring of the 17th century. The inscription is usually ‘Prepared be to follow me’ as on two memorial rings for Charles I in the BM (Dalton 1362 and 1362), on Dalton 1283: ‘Prepared be to follow me RO’., and in shortened form on a ring of the same date, Dalton 1468: ‘Bee prepared MB July 79’. The BM would not be interested in this find.J. Rudoe 12.2.05

Now I know they say you shouldn't restore these objects but I will get my local jeweller to put it back into ring shape. I don't really buy being mangled by the plough as part of its history.

I have managed a few finds last week. The field where I previously found gold staters has turned out to be almost barren, I've spent two afternoons on there and found little more than a 19th century horse harness buckle. Must have done a really good job on it last time around. I then had to run the gauntlet with the muckspreader but did manage an Urbs Roma commemorative AE3 c.350 (the one with the wolf and twins design), a plain but complete watch key and a small post medieval belt decoration. Another day on another field got me a small crotal bell, complete and still ringing and to round off the week a field I hadn't bothered with too much in the past produced a really nice 1oz London trade weight 1760-1826 and a 1350-1500 sword belt hanger buckle.

Military Odyssey

Last Saturday we went to the Military Odyssey show at Detling. I am not into dressing up and reenactment as a participant but it is entertaining to watch. We watched Britannia Romans, Mediaeval Battle with Archers and Hand Cannon, Mediaeval jousting, which was particularly good and the Largest WWII Battle Recreation. I do take an interest in the stands and displays as I like to see what's around in case I find something related with the metal detector and there was plenty of arms, ammunition, badges, buttons, medals etc., on display. Romney Marsh Metal Detecting Club had a display there with a wonderful collection of Kent 17th century traders tokens. Brian Waterhouse, club chairman I think, collects them and has over 400 different examples with 200 to go to get the full set. They were mostly not metal detector finds he said. Another great day out.