A local resident who regularly walks their dog in and around Hogacre did some metal detecting on our site in 2020 and 2021. This is what they found:
September 2020
Partial and full horseshoe – 1730-1780
- Various square-section nails – pre-1780
- George VI one penny coin, cut – 1944
- Lead thimble
- Metal ring with faux mother of pearl inset – modern
- 32-bore musket ball – mid 17th century
- Sterling silver ring
- Metal ring with semi-precious inset (turquoise?)
- Carabiner
- Aluminium tent peg
- Aluminium peg and hoop (for camping?)
- Some large pieces of iron with unidentified purpose
- Horse hitch ring with square section nail
November 2020
Two George V half pennies (1912)
- George V penny (1915)
- Metal button-back (military?)
- Metal ring with twist design
- Gold-plated ring pendant with chain
December 2020 – Jan 2021
Paddle-shaped heavy metal object. I suspect this is cricket pitch equipment.
- Shoe patten. This is probably Georgian; a stilt used to keep the wearer above the mud.
- Heart-shaped padlock (front only).
- Small button with crest. This may be a ‘fantasy’ button, perhaps produced in the UK around 1906 as a blazer button to celebrate the marriage of Victoria Eugenia, Queen Victoria’s grand-daughter, to King Alfonso XIII of Spain.
March – May 2021
D-buckle. No idea of date.
- Large chain link. No idea of date.
- Some sort of iron coupling, possibly for hanging items?
- Tractor/trailer coupling – this took a bit of work to identify! Again, no clues as to the date of this but presumably mid 20th century?
- Stamped brass object, possibly Victorian. Looks like some form of decoration but I haven’t been able to find out any more.
May 2021
Georgian Buckle: it’s part of a mid 18th-century (Georgian) shoe buckle. I found it about 5cm deep, on the path to the northwest of the fenced orchard.
It’s likely to be contemporary with the shoe patten I found last year, and would probably have been worn by someone of status, rather than those labourers working with the livestock.