‘Treasure’ is not just any old iron
TWO amateur metal detectives from Headcorn could be in line for their personal pot of gold after unearthing the country’s fourth largest Bronze Age hoard, in a field in Boughton Malherbe. Wayne Coomber (46), from Ulcombe Road, Headcorn, and Nick Hales (50), of Knaves Acre, stumbled upon the treasure while metal detect- ing. A Maidstone inquest has de- termined the hoard – which includes tools, weapons, orna- ments and ingots – dates back to at least 875BC and probably orig- inated in France. Now the pair could be looking
at awindfallofupto£250,000 each. Wayne, who has been metal detecting since the
age of 16, said: “I knew right away that we had stumbled on something from the BronzeAge. The more we kept digging, the more we found. Once we got to 100 axes, we knew we had found some- thing pretty important, but didn’t know at that point it would turn out to be French. “It was unbelievable – especially as we’ve only
ever found one or two individual pieces before.” The hoard, discovered in August, is the second
major find of its kind in theMaidstone area in re- cent months and includes fragments of weapons such as bronze swords and spears, tools such as axes, ham- mers and knives, bronze casting waste and in- gots, as well as sev- eral fragments from chariots, harnesses, plaques and buckets. Dr Ben Roberts, cura-
tor of European Bronze Age at the British Mu-
seum, said: “This is a spectacular find of a vast Bronze Age hoard. Three thousand years ago, peo- ple on either side of the Channel were placing large quantities of bronze into pits, bogs and rivers as votive offerings – a bit like people throw- ing coins into wishing wells today.” The Boughton Malherbe haul comprised 346 late BronzeAge objects. An initial assessment puts the find at under £1m.
Maidstone Museum has already expressed an interest in adding the finds to its collections, but this will mean the museum rais- ing sufficient sums to acquire the hoard at market
value.Themoney
will then be split 50/50 between the finders and landowners. KCC’s Finds liaison officer, Jennifer Jackson,
said: “This is very exciting for Kent. The fact that Maidstone Museum would like to display them means they will hopefully stay in the area for everyone to see and enjoy.” Collections manager from Maidstone Museum
Giles Guthrie said: “This would represent a signif- icant addition to our collection and make an ex- cellent tool to illustrate the activities of Kentish folk in the Bronze Age.”
In December 2010, an Early Iron Age hoard con- sisting of seven objects was found in Stockbury. Both have been officially declared as “treasure” by the coroner, Patricia Harding. Fragments of an ingot, tools and horse harness fittings were among the Stockbury loot. The horse bit is of particular interest, as these were excep- tionally rare in Bronze and Iron Age Britain. Both finds were taken to the British Museum in London, where they were studied by researchers who prepared a report for the coroner.
Farmer Wayne and carpenter Nick are hopeful that the treas- ure will remain in Maidstone for the ben- efit of local people. In the meantime, the duo are planning what they will do with their even- tual
windfall...and their next metal detect- ing expedition.
Land probe prior
to building works A SCHEME to convert two agricultural buildings into three homes in Leeds has been given consent on con- dition of an archaeological investigation. The Rochester Bridge Trust
was allowed to undertake the development at Abbey Farm, Lower Street, butMaidstone Council’s decision notice de- manded an investigation to “provide for the avoidance or mitigation of adverse effects on buried archaeological re- mains caused by the devel- opment”.
Solar panels on
new barn allowed AN agricultural barn con- taining 192 solar photo- voltaic roof panels to the southern roof slope was given the go-ahead for Cold- harbour Farm in Coldhar- bour Lane, Hucking. The scheme, which will provide shelter for farrowing sows and sucklers during se- vere weather, was permitted by Maidstone Council. Its decision notice stated: “Re- moval of existing trees or hedgerows containing nest- ing birds shall take place outside of the bird-breeding season (generally March to August)”.
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