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Men unearth buried treasure
By Karen Bate
Les Keith, Tom Peirce and Bryan Thomas
THREE amateur treasure hunters from Ringwood have unearthed tens of thousands of pounds worth of Bronze Age axe heads in what is one of the largest finds of its kind in Britain.
With nothing more than metal detectors, Les Keith, Tom Peirce and Bryan Thomas discovered 260 complete axe heads dating back to 6-700 BC at four hot spots on pastureland at Puttlake Adventure Farm in Langton Matravers.
An exact value has yet to be put on the historic find, which also included 152 incomplete axe heads, but is expected to be in the region of £40,000.
Coach driver Mr Peirce discovered the location after taking a school party to the farm, returning later with his life-long friend Mr Keith when the pair found the first axe head fragment buried 10in under the soil.
Shaking with excitement they headed off for coffee and resumed the search in a different location on the field.
Mr Peirce said: "It was pure chance that we found the first half of the find.
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We really could have dug in any part of that field. It was really amazing. It is like winning the lottery. These finds are extremely unusual. You don't get rich with a metal detector."
Mr Peirce, Mr Keith and third friend Mr Thomas returned the following day and unearthed hundreds more 3,000 year-old axe heads.
The find prompted a search of the area at the farm near Swanage, Dorset, by archaeologists.
Mr Peirce added: "You don't think it is going to happen to you. You do it as a hobby, you don't do it for the money, but if you strike it lucky, so be it."
It is believed the axe heads were manufactured at a nearby Bronze Age settlement. As the find is classed as treasure trove the proceeds will be split between landowner Alfie O'Connell and the finders.
Mr O'Connell, 62, who has owned the farm for four years, said: "Within about half an hour of Tom searching, he came rushing over to me looking shocked. During the war a plane crashed in the same field and for a minute I thought he'd found a bomb.
"We went back up there on my tractor and saw the axe heads. I didn't have a clue what they were - at first I thought it was scrap metal."
The 4in by 2in axe heads are being assessed by the British Museum, which may buy them.
In a find such as this an inquest must be held. The coroner for Bournemouth, Poole and East Dorset has been informed of the situation and is expected to declare the find as treasure. At that point, landowner and finder receive their market value.
Dr Andrew Fitzpatrick, of Wessex Archaeology, said: "It is one of the largest and important finds of its kind because of its size and the condition they were in."
9:25am Friday 1st February 2008
By Karen Bate
Les Keith, Tom Peirce and Bryan Thomas
THREE amateur treasure hunters from Ringwood have unearthed tens of thousands of pounds worth of Bronze Age axe heads in what is one of the largest finds of its kind in Britain.
With nothing more than metal detectors, Les Keith, Tom Peirce and Bryan Thomas discovered 260 complete axe heads dating back to 6-700 BC at four hot spots on pastureland at Puttlake Adventure Farm in Langton Matravers.
An exact value has yet to be put on the historic find, which also included 152 incomplete axe heads, but is expected to be in the region of £40,000.
Coach driver Mr Peirce discovered the location after taking a school party to the farm, returning later with his life-long friend Mr Keith when the pair found the first axe head fragment buried 10in under the soil.
Shaking with excitement they headed off for coffee and resumed the search in a different location on the field.
Mr Peirce said: "It was pure chance that we found the first half of the find.
advertisement
We really could have dug in any part of that field. It was really amazing. It is like winning the lottery. These finds are extremely unusual. You don't get rich with a metal detector."
Mr Peirce, Mr Keith and third friend Mr Thomas returned the following day and unearthed hundreds more 3,000 year-old axe heads.
The find prompted a search of the area at the farm near Swanage, Dorset, by archaeologists.
Mr Peirce added: "You don't think it is going to happen to you. You do it as a hobby, you don't do it for the money, but if you strike it lucky, so be it."
It is believed the axe heads were manufactured at a nearby Bronze Age settlement. As the find is classed as treasure trove the proceeds will be split between landowner Alfie O'Connell and the finders.
Mr O'Connell, 62, who has owned the farm for four years, said: "Within about half an hour of Tom searching, he came rushing over to me looking shocked. During the war a plane crashed in the same field and for a minute I thought he'd found a bomb.
"We went back up there on my tractor and saw the axe heads. I didn't have a clue what they were - at first I thought it was scrap metal."
The 4in by 2in axe heads are being assessed by the British Museum, which may buy them.
In a find such as this an inquest must be held. The coroner for Bournemouth, Poole and East Dorset has been informed of the situation and is expected to declare the find as treasure. At that point, landowner and finder receive their market value.
Dr Andrew Fitzpatrick, of Wessex Archaeology, said: "It is one of the largest and important finds of its kind because of its size and the condition they were in."
9:25am Friday 1st February 2008
