How to find hoards with a metal detector - How to Find Hoards - Introduction
Hoards Found in Somerset
Bath
A Roman city of great importance. More than 60 hoards have been found in and around the city and more than 80,000 individual roman coins.
Shapwick
The Shapwick Villa Treasure, a hoard of 9,238 silver denarii.
Frome
Above: Photograph of roman coins from the Frome Hoard, Found by Dave Crisp. Photograph courtesy of the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
The Frome Hoard, 52,000 third century radiates in a large pot, found by detectorist Dave Crisp. The coins weighed around 160kg or 350lbs. BBC coverage of the find, with short video interview with Dave. This has to be the largest hoard of roman coins in a great many years. Detecting forum thread about the find. The recovery of the Frome hoard is a great example of archaeologist and detectorist co-operation. Dave Crisp did the right thing and called in the professionals once he realized what he had found, and the horde was professionally excavated.
Sources
- A Treasure Hunter's Guide by Edward Fletcher, 1975.
- The Romance of treasure Trove, Charles R. Beard, 1933.
Hoard Hunting County Guide
Below is a county by county guide to hoard finds. These lists should not be considered exhaustive and new material will be added as more information and sources become available. All of the locations listed should be considered private property until proven otherwise and the proper permissions obtained, preferably in writing, in advance of any visit. Some hoard sites are scheduled ancient monuments, be very sure that any location you wish to metal detect on is not a protected archaeological site.