 Index |
Detecting, the Landscape, and Research
Introduction
The UK is a blessed Land for
detectorists - not only is it rich in metal artefact finds that
mark the occupation of these islands by metal-working peoples for
4,000 years, but with certain restrictions (including permission of the landowner), these finds can be
legally recovered by metal detector users.
However, there is more to successful metal detection than simply swinging a coil over any old piece of land. Almost all of Wesley's finds come from a small area comprising of two medium size farms in his neighbourhood. The area is not historically spectacular, indeed, it is considered by archaeologists to be a watershed district. Wesley's metal detector is a Tesero B1 Laser, not one of the newest models. What makes his detecting a success is his dedication, and research.
Geography
Areas of the UK that have been under the plough in past periods are more likely to produce large numbers of stray finds, than those that were under forest, moor, or pasture. During periods of high population, such as the Late Roman and High Medieval, the plough was taken to literally every acre of cultivatable topsoil. However, across the UK, it is the lowlands of South-East Britain that have sustained the largest acreage of ploughed arable land. Even there, some areas escaped the plough - sheep drove, warren, forest, game park, and common. So why is it that areas of arable produce more stray finds than other lands?
How Were Finds Deposited?
How were these artefacts deposited in the soil? Why are ancient finds, from stray thimbles, to coin hoards found in the middle of cultivated fields? Why is it that some lands are void of any finds older than 150 years old, while others hold scatters of Roman and Medieval artefacts. Well here are a few suggestions as to how the majority of metal finds ended up in the topsoil in the first place:
Manure Scatter. Until quite recently, and
before the introduction of municipal refuse (garbage) removal, most
household and courtyard waste was not left on the edges of
settlements to form into middens (especially in the British
lowlands), but was more often added to manure heaps, and then
carted out to nearby arable fields, to be spread on to the fields.
This waste would include floor sweepings, old bedding, kitchen
waste, etc. Next time you get a chance to walk over weathered
cultivated plough soil, look for sherds of pottery, bone fragments,
oyster shells etc - all evidence of manure scatter. Pot-sherds are
the greatest indicator - providing dates for the practice. Shiny
white, enamelled, or blue willow patterned pottery indicate recent
manure scatter - the past three centuries. Learn to identify and date
ceramics. The example in the scan here is of manure-scattered medieval pottery. Manure scatter most probably represents a
large percentage of stray metal finds - buttons, stray coins,
thimbles, lead weights, furniture fittings, spoons, pins, etc.- Stray Losses. Previous to the industrial revolution, most of Britain's population lived and worked in the countryside. In arable areas, at times such as harvest, the fields would have been a hive of activity - men, women and children. Losses would include small coins, and cloth fasteners (buttons, buckles, brooches) under stress during physical work. Animals also lost metal objects - buckles, harness fittings, studs, shoes, crotal bells, etc.
- Site. Landscape studies show that during a number of periods, for a number of reasons - settlements move. What is now field or forest, may have once been a village, villa, or farmstead. Settlement sites may be indicated by clusters of fresh-looking unabraded tile and potsherds - often brought to the surface by recent deep ploughing. Detectorists may find numbers of nails, iron, and lead. Learn to look at the landscape for good places to live. For example, during some periods, south facing slopes in valleys (with a river or stream), above the floodplain, on safely dry land were favoured. Settlement is only one type of site. Another is cemetery - is there a field in your area called the Bone Field. Industrial sites can exist - the mill is especially of interest, as a place where coin was exchanged.
- Hoard. They are around. Even peasants needed a safety net in case of a bad harvest, cold winter, illness, etc. There was no social security, and no people's banks. Where would you hide your money?
Research
The successful searcher is the researcher. What kind of
settlement patterns have existed in your area throughout history?
Are villages tightly nucleated, perhaps located close to rivers in
the valleys? Or are they perhaps dispersed into loose scatters of
farmsteads? The first determinate of these patterns is topography.
Is the soil excessively drained, forcing settlement to keep close
to water or shallower soil? Is it heavy soil that perhaps supported
woodland and pasture for long periods? Were the Medieval farmers in
your area manorial peasants living under the thumb of their lord,
or perhaps freemen sheep farmers or cattle drovers who had more freedom to build
their farmsteads on the edges of common? It usually comes down to
landscape.
So where to research? Well, local libraries are good place to start. Look for local landscape studies and histories, as well as maps, etc. Later, you may wish to visit a County Record Office, to research maps and manorial documents. Sources include the following:
- Ordinance Survey Maps. The earlier the better. Some date back to the late 19th century. Online 19th century maps of parts of the UK can be seen at: oldmaps.co.uk without even leaving the computer!
- Tithe Maps. These were pre-O.S survey maps created during the Enclosure Acts, mainly between 1800 and 1840. They show the landscape as it was immediately following enclosure.
- Early County Maps. Some counties are blessed with pre-enclosure county maps. For example, here in Norfolk, we have Faden's Map of 1797.
- Manorial Survey Maps. You may be lucky and find a 16th - 18th century pre-enclosure survey map, commissioned by a manorial lord. They often display the old medieval field-strip systems, old paths, roads, farms, gallows, mills, etc. The map on this page shows some of the field strips mapped in a Norfolk manor in 1629, that I copied onto a modern national grid, so that we could plot out the old medieval field systems onto the modern landscape with hopefully, some accuracy.
- Sites and Monuments Map. Most Counties have an SMR system maintained by local government archaeologists. In areas where hostility exists between detectorists and archaeologists, there is little chance at viewing them. However, some SMR officers are now building relationships of trust with detectorists who they know to be honest and interested in both recording and protecting heritage.
- As stated above - books! Look in the library for recent books by local landscape historians, university departments, etc. Published excavation reports are also very worthy of a look. Libraries also often hold the annual journals of County archaeological societies.
A successful detectorist:
- Gets to really know his/her patch.
- Builds up and maintains good relationships with their host farmers or landowners.
- Cares about heritage, and shares / records any important discoveries.
- Learns to read the landscape, and appreciates how it changes through the ages.
- Really gets to know their own machine.
- Is patient.