 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Find Hidden Treasure with a Metal Detector!
HIDDEN TREASURE -
a new BBC television series which follows metal detectorists and enthusiasts who have discovered hidden treasure. Find out what discoveries they have made and what advice they have for the budding treasure hunter. The series begins on Tuesday, 2 September at 8.30pm on BBC2.
Click here for more information on the BBCi Hidden Treasure web site
Hunting for Treasure with a metal detector An excerpt from John Castle's best-selling book on metal detecting: WHY GO METAL DETECTING? Why do anything? I have no idea why some people want to play golf, marbles or cricket, go windsurfing, fly a kite or indulge in the myriad of effort-expending activities we call leisure. I do know our hobby offers more benefits than most and is the ideal pastime for self-motivated people with a curiosity about the world in general and history in particular. I don’t really know why, I only know nothing beats it! The hobby of metal detecting offers far more than the simple gratification of the urge to find things or to get something for nothing as some cynics would describe the activity. |
 Click here to buy treasure hunting books |
The Thrill of the Hunt
Man, like many animals, has always been a hunter. Originally he found it essential to hunt for food as a vegetable diet was always supplemented by meat, fish or game. The need to hunt for food has all but disappeared these days in our systems of highly organised farming and fishing, yet the instinct remains.
Hunting for its own sake became a widespread sport many thousands of years ago and continues to-day albeit on a much reduced scale compared with former ages. This has, inevitably, led to strong criticism from those who oppose the hunting of animals for sport.
The metal detector user is not involved in any of this controversy because, although a hunter, his quarry is inanimate objects which are usually man-made. Yet some of the same instinct to capture a quarry is there; this necessitates the search to find it, often preceded by long hours spent in the study of old maps, records or books and culminates in the satisfaction of a recovery - if successful. No human or animal is hurt and no damage is caused excepting that acceptable damage which accompanies most human activities and which is of a far lesser degree than most others. But it doesn’t begin or end there.
Before The Hunt
Before he goes out the detectorist must have somewhere to go. This may be his own property or other private land, a public recreation area or a beach. Landowners’ permission will have been sought and obtained where necessary and he will know what and where his boundaries are and at what times of the year he can go. Seeded fields, for instance, are almost always out of bounds and a farmer who allows detecting on his land will only allow it where fields are stubble after reaping or ploughed before seeding.
A rare exception was one farmer who said a couple of detector users on his seeded fields provided him with his best scarecrows ever!
The detector will have been checked over prior to the hunt to minimise the risk of malfunction in the field. Batteries will have been checked and spare ones packed. All necessary equipment will have been checked and packed and clothing and footwear as appropriate will be worn or taken.
The pleasurable anticipation of the hunt will be mounting as will the “tingle” of expected discovery all metal detector users feel when on their way to a site. The excitement mounts!
During the Hunt
When arriving on site he will, where applicable, inform the landowner of his presence and will confirm the areas he may, or may not, search.
After the initial setting up of the detector and it’s related equipment the detectorist will soon settle down to a rhythmic search pattern as he slowly advances, sweeping his detector from side to side and listening for the faintest response in his headphones which may indicate a find. He will ensure the bottom of the search-head is kept parallel to the ground at all times and as close to it as possible. He will try not to miss sweeping over any patch of ground as he moves forward. As he searches he will keep his eyes open for worked flints, pottery sherds and other things of a non metallic nature which his detector cannot locate and are often of great interest in themselves.
He will recover a find carefully and stow it away just as carefully. He will not leave holes or junk and will observe the Country Code as well as any other strictures the landowner may lay down. He will show the landowner what he finds when on private property and will obey the law of found property when on public land. He will obey other laws such as the Treasure Act at all times. We will look closer at the law in later pages.
He will, hopefully, end the day with some worthwhile finds and a sense of happy achievement, the warm glow of a day well used!
After The Hunt
The sportsman hunters’ quest is ended when he locates and dispatches his quarry. For the metal detector user the find is often only the beginning.
If he suspects any of his finds can be returned to their losers or if he suspects they may be Treasure Trove he will have to hand them in to a police station straight away and he will ensure he is given a proper receipt.
Where this does not apply, and it usually won’t, he will have to take steps to clean and preserve his finds. This will need to be carried out with care if those finds are not to be further damaged or devalued. He will want to identify and date his finds and to record and store them properly He may wish to report them to a museum or other body.
He may also begin a general or specialist collection and many such collections have I seen in many detector users’ homes, all carefully cleaned, neatly labelled and proudly displayed in glass-topped cases or even re-furbished picture frames. When it comes to talking-points, the detectorist has a head start over those with no history in their homes!
A true story with a beginning, a middle and an end! And there is still the thrill of showing your finds, or perhaps publishing them, to look forward to!
Other Benefits
Metal detecting is a fairly sedentary pursuit which involves some exercise in the open air. For those who enjoy such exercise, or who perhaps need it for medical reasons, but find just walking about boring, our hobby provides the ideal solution. A great sense of purpose is felt coupled with an equally great sense of achievement when a good find is located, identified and learned from. Never is the sense of a great grasp, respect and awe for history felt than when handling and learning from the tangible remains of the past which you have found for yourself, remains which would have been undoubtedly lost forever or destroyed without your efforts.
A bunch of keys or a treasured gold ring returned to a happy and grateful owner brings its own reward. No payment for such services should be sought by the detector user but such acts of goodwill can open the door to yet more sites to search.
The countryside is something which all right-thinking people cherish and enjoy. Those who live and work there have the considerable benefit of a health-giving environment and it must be more than mere co-incidence that most of the longest-living people are country folk.
For us “townies” visits to the country often take the form of a visit to recognised picnic areas and designated “country walks” where we endure many others with a similar desire to breathe fresh air for a change. They are usually accompanied by the usual noisy retinue of cars, kids, dogs and unsightly litter. Rambling isn’t much better unless you have a particular penchant for spending lots of time doing nothing but walking over those narrow ways known as public footpaths from which you can rarely deviate without trespassing.
Get permission from a landowner for yourself, a companion and a metal detector each and you really are out there in the country enjoying the fresh air and the thrill of discovery!
People with lots of time on their hands, particularly those who are retired from work, will, I am sure, find metal detecting an ideal hobby. As well as the hunt itself there is so much to be learned about their finds and how they fit in to the history of the area in which they were found. Some pensioners of my acquaintance have become extremely knowledgeable about the area in which they live and history generally, even progressing to the stage where they are competent to give lectures and talks at local historical societies or other groups such as women’s institutes. Such people have found a new purpose in life, no sense of being unwanted for them! Boredom is one word I never hear from our growing band of senior citizen detector users.
So here then, is an activity which includes the excitement and interest of the hunt, whether or not preceded by research, and often results in a successful conclusion by the recovery of items which may or may not be valuable, historically important and are always interesting. To reach that conclusion the metal detectorist must know how to properly maximise the potential of his detector on all types of site. He must know how to recover finds without damaging them and how to best preserve them. He must know, or attempt to find out, what they are, why and how they were made and how old they may be. He must obey the law and the rights of landowners. He is indulging in an activity which is a healthy outdoor pursuit without being over-strenuous. The feeling of “getting away from it all” is never more keenly felt than when happily swinging a detector on some lonely beach, quiet field or sun-dappled woodland.
The responsible metal detector user harms nothing and nobody He funds his own hobby and needs no public money spent on him or for the provision of special facilities. If he is lucky enough to obtain some great or small legitimate pecuniary advantage from the hobby it cannot be a matter of sustainable criticism. He often provides a public service at no cost to the public when he restores lost property to it’s owners or assists the police and other public bodies.
There can be few, if any other hobbies which are so interesting, harmless and provide such great rewards of self-motivation and satisfaction.
We are self-contained without being selfish. Large amounts of money are raised each year for charity by detector users in various ways. We expect to be allowed to fit in to society without society having to make any conscious or costly effort to accommodate us. Interest, challenge, skill, satisfaction, it’s all there. A wonderful world of glittering prospects indeed!
A great hobby indeed, and one which all of us who fight for its continuance with minimal interference are justly proud. A hunting heritage which future generations will undoubtedly wish to enjoy. Preserve it for them!
Hunting for Treasure by John Castle is available at £10.00 + £1.50 p&p from Joan Allen Detectors Direct - click here to order online.
If you would like to join the wonderful world of metal detecting and would like some free advice - give us a call on 01959 571255 and we will be very happy to help!
Man, like many animals, has always been a hunter. Originally he found it essential to hunt for food as a vegetable diet was always supplemented by meat, fish or game. The need to hunt for food has all but disappeared these days in our systems of highly organised farming and fishing, yet the instinct remains.
Hunting for its own sake became a widespread sport many thousands of years ago and continues to-day albeit on a much reduced scale compared with former ages. This has, inevitably, led to strong criticism from those who oppose the hunting of animals for sport.
The metal detector user is not involved in any of this controversy because, although a hunter, his quarry is inanimate objects which are usually man-made. Yet some of the same instinct to capture a quarry is there; this necessitates the search to find it, often preceded by long hours spent in the study of old maps, records or books and culminates in the satisfaction of a recovery - if successful. No human or animal is hurt and no damage is caused excepting that acceptable damage which accompanies most human activities and which is of a far lesser degree than most others. But it doesn’t begin or end there.
Before The Hunt
Before he goes out the detectorist must have somewhere to go. This may be his own property or other private land, a public recreation area or a beach. Landowners’ permission will have been sought and obtained where necessary and he will know what and where his boundaries are and at what times of the year he can go. Seeded fields, for instance, are almost always out of bounds and a farmer who allows detecting on his land will only allow it where fields are stubble after reaping or ploughed before seeding.
A rare exception was one farmer who said a couple of detector users on his seeded fields provided him with his best scarecrows ever!
The detector will have been checked over prior to the hunt to minimise the risk of malfunction in the field. Batteries will have been checked and spare ones packed. All necessary equipment will have been checked and packed and clothing and footwear as appropriate will be worn or taken.
The pleasurable anticipation of the hunt will be mounting as will the “tingle” of expected discovery all metal detector users feel when on their way to a site. The excitement mounts!
During the Hunt
When arriving on site he will, where applicable, inform the landowner of his presence and will confirm the areas he may, or may not, search.
After the initial setting up of the detector and it’s related equipment the detectorist will soon settle down to a rhythmic search pattern as he slowly advances, sweeping his detector from side to side and listening for the faintest response in his headphones which may indicate a find. He will ensure the bottom of the search-head is kept parallel to the ground at all times and as close to it as possible. He will try not to miss sweeping over any patch of ground as he moves forward. As he searches he will keep his eyes open for worked flints, pottery sherds and other things of a non metallic nature which his detector cannot locate and are often of great interest in themselves.
He will recover a find carefully and stow it away just as carefully. He will not leave holes or junk and will observe the Country Code as well as any other strictures the landowner may lay down. He will show the landowner what he finds when on private property and will obey the law of found property when on public land. He will obey other laws such as the Treasure Act at all times. We will look closer at the law in later pages.
He will, hopefully, end the day with some worthwhile finds and a sense of happy achievement, the warm glow of a day well used!
After The Hunt
The sportsman hunters’ quest is ended when he locates and dispatches his quarry. For the metal detector user the find is often only the beginning.
If he suspects any of his finds can be returned to their losers or if he suspects they may be Treasure Trove he will have to hand them in to a police station straight away and he will ensure he is given a proper receipt.
Where this does not apply, and it usually won’t, he will have to take steps to clean and preserve his finds. This will need to be carried out with care if those finds are not to be further damaged or devalued. He will want to identify and date his finds and to record and store them properly He may wish to report them to a museum or other body.
He may also begin a general or specialist collection and many such collections have I seen in many detector users’ homes, all carefully cleaned, neatly labelled and proudly displayed in glass-topped cases or even re-furbished picture frames. When it comes to talking-points, the detectorist has a head start over those with no history in their homes!
A true story with a beginning, a middle and an end! And there is still the thrill of showing your finds, or perhaps publishing them, to look forward to!
Other Benefits
Metal detecting is a fairly sedentary pursuit which involves some exercise in the open air. For those who enjoy such exercise, or who perhaps need it for medical reasons, but find just walking about boring, our hobby provides the ideal solution. A great sense of purpose is felt coupled with an equally great sense of achievement when a good find is located, identified and learned from. Never is the sense of a great grasp, respect and awe for history felt than when handling and learning from the tangible remains of the past which you have found for yourself, remains which would have been undoubtedly lost forever or destroyed without your efforts.
A bunch of keys or a treasured gold ring returned to a happy and grateful owner brings its own reward. No payment for such services should be sought by the detector user but such acts of goodwill can open the door to yet more sites to search.
The countryside is something which all right-thinking people cherish and enjoy. Those who live and work there have the considerable benefit of a health-giving environment and it must be more than mere co-incidence that most of the longest-living people are country folk.
For us “townies” visits to the country often take the form of a visit to recognised picnic areas and designated “country walks” where we endure many others with a similar desire to breathe fresh air for a change. They are usually accompanied by the usual noisy retinue of cars, kids, dogs and unsightly litter. Rambling isn’t much better unless you have a particular penchant for spending lots of time doing nothing but walking over those narrow ways known as public footpaths from which you can rarely deviate without trespassing.
Get permission from a landowner for yourself, a companion and a metal detector each and you really are out there in the country enjoying the fresh air and the thrill of discovery!
People with lots of time on their hands, particularly those who are retired from work, will, I am sure, find metal detecting an ideal hobby. As well as the hunt itself there is so much to be learned about their finds and how they fit in to the history of the area in which they were found. Some pensioners of my acquaintance have become extremely knowledgeable about the area in which they live and history generally, even progressing to the stage where they are competent to give lectures and talks at local historical societies or other groups such as women’s institutes. Such people have found a new purpose in life, no sense of being unwanted for them! Boredom is one word I never hear from our growing band of senior citizen detector users.
So here then, is an activity which includes the excitement and interest of the hunt, whether or not preceded by research, and often results in a successful conclusion by the recovery of items which may or may not be valuable, historically important and are always interesting. To reach that conclusion the metal detectorist must know how to properly maximise the potential of his detector on all types of site. He must know how to recover finds without damaging them and how to best preserve them. He must know, or attempt to find out, what they are, why and how they were made and how old they may be. He must obey the law and the rights of landowners. He is indulging in an activity which is a healthy outdoor pursuit without being over-strenuous. The feeling of “getting away from it all” is never more keenly felt than when happily swinging a detector on some lonely beach, quiet field or sun-dappled woodland.
The responsible metal detector user harms nothing and nobody He funds his own hobby and needs no public money spent on him or for the provision of special facilities. If he is lucky enough to obtain some great or small legitimate pecuniary advantage from the hobby it cannot be a matter of sustainable criticism. He often provides a public service at no cost to the public when he restores lost property to it’s owners or assists the police and other public bodies.
There can be few, if any other hobbies which are so interesting, harmless and provide such great rewards of self-motivation and satisfaction.
We are self-contained without being selfish. Large amounts of money are raised each year for charity by detector users in various ways. We expect to be allowed to fit in to society without society having to make any conscious or costly effort to accommodate us. Interest, challenge, skill, satisfaction, it’s all there. A wonderful world of glittering prospects indeed!
A great hobby indeed, and one which all of us who fight for its continuance with minimal interference are justly proud. A hunting heritage which future generations will undoubtedly wish to enjoy. Preserve it for them!
Hunting for Treasure by John Castle is available at £10.00 + £1.50 p&p from Joan Allen Detectors Direct - click here to order online.
If you would like to join the wonderful world of metal detecting and would like some free advice - give us a call on 01959 571255 and we will be very happy to help!
Joan Allen Electronics Ltd, 190 Main Road, Biggin Hill, Kent, TN16 3BB, UK
Telephone: +44 (0)1959 571255/574234 Fax: +44 (0)1959 576014
Email: sales@joanallen.co.uk