Stoke St Gregory Metal Detecting Finds
….. unearthing small connections to our village's past
We are very grateful to James Timmins for providing the material for these pages. You may have seen James detecting in and around the village over the last four years, and some of you will have seen a selection of his finds, either at the school or at one of the recent Envirofairs. This week he introduces the subject, and we then have a look at some of the many buttons and buckles he has found. But, as the story unfolds, wait to be amazed at how much history he has uncovered - all the way back to Roman times. James takes up the story:
"I first started metal detecting in 2021 with my son after I bought him a metal detector for his birthday. Needless to say I had always had a secret ambition to become a detectorist and I saw a great opportunity to venture into this strange and obsessive hobby by suggesting that it would be a good father and son hobby to do. Now four years and hundreds of finds later I am still just as keen as when we started but I now mainly detect alone as apparently metal detecting is not the coolest of hobbies for teenagers.
Metal detecting can be a fascinating hobby, and it is a great form of exercise in the countryside. There are however several important laws that all detectorists must follow. Firstly, it is essential that you always have the landowner’s permission to detect on their land as it is trespass and stealing if you do not and secondly, there are strict rules with the treasure act that require you to report certain finds that are both old and precious to the relevant authorities.
"I am very grateful to the generosity of several landowners in the village who have been kind enough to grant me permission to detect on their land. So far, I haven’t found any items that count as treasure but I have been lucky enough to find many items that have been old enough to warrant being registered on the British Museums Portable Antiquity scheme website which is a national database of metal detecting finds that are older than 300 years. The scheme records the details and a photo of the finds and an expert provides a positive identification. The approximate location of the find is recorded so that archaeologists and researchers can study the distribution of finds across the country and use the information to support their research.
If you have any detecting equipment in the garage or up in the loft, these pages might spark a new interest. But do remember that you always need permission unless you are on your own land. The only exception is the foreshore (the land along the coast between high and low water), but even here you have to follow strict rules. Have a look at the National Council for Metal Detecting web site HERE for some useful information.
In the meantime, let's have a look at some of the buttons and buckles in James' collection. Click HERE