Well, I can't remember when we've missed almost a month (27 days) of surveys due to the inclement weather!
All was not lost however, with a couple of visits to our favourite Michelin-Starred restaurant, and a visit to the number one pub in Britain for a superb lunch.
Culturally, we had a couple of days in London, taking in the British Museum (visiting the Celtic Exhibition) and attending the PASt Conference 2015, followed by a re-visit to The Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds.
Today we were blessed with another brand new permission (JHF1), with a difference.... it's our first one that actually comes with a published manual describing the finds that have been excavated by archaeologists in the past, and in substantial detail.
We were challenged with a 48 acre field, drilled with winter wheat and no agreed starting point. This was easily solved by starting the survey exactly next to where we parked!
It was only matter of minutes before the first of 38 Roman coins and a huge amount of pottery started to show. Even four pieces of C14th Medieval pottery were recovered.
We had researched this particular field about 18 months ago but were waylaid with other higher priority opportunities so it was put on the "back burner".
It was only when new evidence came to light that we decided to action a 'request to survey'. Luckily the request was granted, and we mean lucky! Apparently, the landowners have been plagued by the scum that we've all come to know as "nighthawkers". Yes, the low-lifes that will steal from you at any opportunity. I hope we come across these "nighthawkers" as we could have so much 'fun' together.
The landowners have said that they are so glad to be able to trust someone to come long and recover, and record the history upon their land. Of course, we will aim to oblige and in doing so create a long lasting bond that will spread to other large landowners nearby. The next door neighbour has over 4000 hectares (10,000 acres) and does not allow detectorists on her land.
We were about half-way through the survey when we could see someone on the field edge, with a dog, walking towards us. It was the landowners wife complete with camera. She kindly asked if she could take some photos of us "in action". With the action shots in-the-bag I said that we would call in when we'd finished for the day, with that she left us to carry on our latest survey.
Apart from the vast amount of Roman pottery sherds recovered (174 pieces weighing in at just over 3.8 Kg) we have a fragment of a Bronze Age axe or chisel, 36 Roman numus', a Republican denarius, a sestertius, a fibula catch plate all for ID and recording. Some of the pottery was quite nice with some great pieces of decorated Samian Ware and Black Burnished Ware. The trip was worth the journey just for the pottery alone!
By the way, the 1969 AD pigeon ring number is D3586 NU 69.
It's got to be noted that we came across the largest amount of "hot rocks" ever!!!!
Just to balance things up a little, and to show its not all a bed of roses when the PAST are out surveying, we managed to collect 1.670 Kg of metallic waste including lots of the dreaded green waste!
With the light fading and the prospect of another survey tomorrow at another permission, we decided to call it a wrap and de-robe.
As promised, we called in at the farmhouse and had a great chat with Mrs landowner. She was so warm and friendly, she even brought out an exhibit of a Tudor brick that had paw prints in it! Awesome!
As a token of gratitude, we left a bottle of Lanson 1760 Black Label Champagne. Of course, we could return at any time we want to explore the 1250 acres they have that are currently under seed.
This is a fanatstic result as all their land has great potential, hence the "nighthawkers". We will aim, and succeed, to recover all finds so that the "nighthawkers" won't get a single signal.
For those of a technical disposition; we used the Déus' in standard GMP and Tracking. I tried one of those "Hot" programs but it was WILDLY noisy with HUGE amounts of ferrous signals!
All the photos of all recoveries can be seen here.
All was not lost however, with a couple of visits to our favourite Michelin-Starred restaurant, and a visit to the number one pub in Britain for a superb lunch.
Culturally, we had a couple of days in London, taking in the British Museum (visiting the Celtic Exhibition) and attending the PASt Conference 2015, followed by a re-visit to The Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds.
Today we were blessed with another brand new permission (JHF1), with a difference.... it's our first one that actually comes with a published manual describing the finds that have been excavated by archaeologists in the past, and in substantial detail.
We were challenged with a 48 acre field, drilled with winter wheat and no agreed starting point. This was easily solved by starting the survey exactly next to where we parked!
It was only matter of minutes before the first of 38 Roman coins and a huge amount of pottery started to show. Even four pieces of C14th Medieval pottery were recovered.
We had researched this particular field about 18 months ago but were waylaid with other higher priority opportunities so it was put on the "back burner".
It was only when new evidence came to light that we decided to action a 'request to survey'. Luckily the request was granted, and we mean lucky! Apparently, the landowners have been plagued by the scum that we've all come to know as "nighthawkers". Yes, the low-lifes that will steal from you at any opportunity. I hope we come across these "nighthawkers" as we could have so much 'fun' together.
The landowners have said that they are so glad to be able to trust someone to come long and recover, and record the history upon their land. Of course, we will aim to oblige and in doing so create a long lasting bond that will spread to other large landowners nearby. The next door neighbour has over 4000 hectares (10,000 acres) and does not allow detectorists on her land.
We were about half-way through the survey when we could see someone on the field edge, with a dog, walking towards us. It was the landowners wife complete with camera. She kindly asked if she could take some photos of us "in action". With the action shots in-the-bag I said that we would call in when we'd finished for the day, with that she left us to carry on our latest survey.
Apart from the vast amount of Roman pottery sherds recovered (174 pieces weighing in at just over 3.8 Kg) we have a fragment of a Bronze Age axe or chisel, 36 Roman numus', a Republican denarius, a sestertius, a fibula catch plate all for ID and recording. Some of the pottery was quite nice with some great pieces of decorated Samian Ware and Black Burnished Ware. The trip was worth the journey just for the pottery alone!
By the way, the 1969 AD pigeon ring number is D3586 NU 69.
It's got to be noted that we came across the largest amount of "hot rocks" ever!!!!
Just to balance things up a little, and to show its not all a bed of roses when the PAST are out surveying, we managed to collect 1.670 Kg of metallic waste including lots of the dreaded green waste!
With the light fading and the prospect of another survey tomorrow at another permission, we decided to call it a wrap and de-robe.
As promised, we called in at the farmhouse and had a great chat with Mrs landowner. She was so warm and friendly, she even brought out an exhibit of a Tudor brick that had paw prints in it! Awesome!
As a token of gratitude, we left a bottle of Lanson 1760 Black Label Champagne. Of course, we could return at any time we want to explore the 1250 acres they have that are currently under seed.
This is a fanatstic result as all their land has great potential, hence the "nighthawkers". We will aim, and succeed, to recover all finds so that the "nighthawkers" won't get a single signal.
For those of a technical disposition; we used the Déus' in standard GMP and Tracking. I tried one of those "Hot" programs but it was WILDLY noisy with HUGE amounts of ferrous signals!
All the photos of all recoveries can be seen here.
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