Treasure trove: Treasured finds that just keep on coming from detectorists

As Oxfordshire’s finds liaison officer, Anni Byard’s job is to keep a record of all the treasure dug up in the county and try to buy it for the county’s public museums.

Every year she has been in the job she has dealt with more archaeological finds dug up in farmers’ fields and back gardens.

On Tuesday this week, she sat in on the latest treasure inquest for the county where Oxfordshire Coroner Darren Salter ruled that an 18th century gold ring, a third century coin hoard and a Medieval gold pendant were all officially treasure.

Ms Byard, who lives in Wantage, said: “This has been the best year for Oxfordshire since the Treasure Act was passed in 1996.

“There is always excitement when new treasure is found.

“Oxfordshire has been a treasure trove over the years and there is no sign that this trend is going to dry up anytime soon.”

Oxfordshire County Council’s Museum Service has so far this year recorded 41 cases of treasure being discovered in the county – up 46 per cent on the 2014 total.

This month the service recorded the 25,000th artefact from Oxfordshire found by members of the public – a very rare Roman coin found at the Hanneys, near Wantage.

It is only the third of its kind ever discovered.

Ms Byard said the main reason for the rise is an increase in honest metal detectorists declaring their finds to her, out-competing the “night hawkers” – thieving detectorists who trespass on land to find valuable gold and silver then sell it to private collectors who don’t ask questions.

She said: “Metal detecting has been popular for decades, but there is now a better working partnership between detectorists and the authorities.

“There is a lot less tolerance of night hawkers – these thieves who dig lots of holes, take the stuff and sell it.

“Dtectorists and landowners are starting to report illegal detectorists a lot more.”

Thames Valley Police said it does not treat these sorts of cases any differently from other thefts or trespassing cases, and so could not offer a comment on the specific issue of night hawking.

Ms Byard is employed to work for Oxfordshire County Council by the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme, which has finds liaison officers stationed across the country, and which is recording more finds every year.

She said: “It’s not only items of treasure that are rewriting the county’s history, thousands of other ancient Oxfordshire artefacts are recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme each year, dating from earliest prehistory through to more modern times.

“By working closely with metal detector users and others who offer their finds for recording, we really are rewriting our county’s history.”

RARE DISCOVERY

This Medieval silver pendant loop would probably have been attached to a 14th century nobleman’s belt.

Discovered by metal detectorist Richard Blackshaw in Clanfield this March, it was one of six items declared treasure by Oxfordshire Coroner Darren Salter on Tuesday.

An 18th century gold ring found in Grafton near Faringdon by Russell Mclean bears the name of Captain A Cole, who died in November 1713 aged 28.

The British Museum determined the piece of jewellery was a memento mori ring, cast in obituary of the deceased captain, about whom we know nothing.

Oxfordshire finds liaison officer Anni Byard said: “If Captain Cole was in the Navy or Army, it should be possible to trace him through military records.

“It is very rare to find objects like this that actually tell you something about the person they were linked to, and it is in beautiful condition.”

A 16th century silver clothes fastener, a late third century coin hoard from Chalgrove, a Medieval silver brooch and and Medieval gold pendant were also declared treasure.