The Detecting Hub

For various reasons the last few months the only time the detector has been touched has been when its been taken out of the boot of the car as I needed the space, or to put it in the car boot as it was in the way in the house!.

But on Tuesday I met up with a couple of club members. Admittedly I was late, but part of the reason (OK since when have I needed a reason to be late? ) was that I had to wait to hear from somebody about attending a stables for the National Racehorse Week today (basically it is where trainers open up their yards for people to see what goes on every day behind the scenes and the horses. For anybody with even a slight interest in racing its well worth attending either a local smaller yard or one of the large top yards. https://nationalracehorseweek.uk/events/ you might even get some tips and most events are free ).

After a few words with them in the field I spotted a single stalk of maize that had survived the harvest on the brow of the bank which seemed to be calling me so headed towards it. Halfway there I had a lovely signal which turned out to be a nice Edward VII 1902 shilling.

Although I searched that area for a while it seemed to be a lone coin, so I continued to the maize stalk with no joy. From there I headed to the valley at the far side of the field where I found a musket ball.

Its also where a combination of age, heat which I can not handle and lack of fitness caught up with me. It is also where the single brain cell kicked into action and I realised that if you walk all the way across one of the largest fields the club has access to then to get back to the car you have to walk the same distance back to the car . A probable c13/14 horse harness pendant was my final signal not too far from the car, so the walk back was not wasted.

As a bonus I called at a pub close to the dig on the way back, around my way all the "pubs" concentrate on food so you get a funny look if not eating and staff are either busy running around or heads in mobiles (do not get me started ); but this seemed more an "old fashioned" type where you could just have a drink if you wanted although I did have a meal, and the barmaid was lovely and happy to chat and have a laugh which makes a big difference if on your own like I was - so I will give it a thumbs up.

Sorry not the best quality photos. Additionally a very gentle rub also confirmed my fear that I had nicked the shilling

Great writeup. I always like seeing Edward VII silver.

Good to see you, Detecting and finding.
Nice break from all the research you give on here.
Cheers,
Dave.

Great post , with the weather cooling down i hope you get out detecting more.

I love how you wove in a visit to the pub AND horses in one post An expensive day out then!

I want some modern silver now. Ages since I’ve found one and I love yours. Nice to find a piece of medieval too.

fred wrote: ↑Thu Aug 27, 2026 7:53 am Great writeup. I always like seeing Edward VII silver.

Thanks Fred. A few have remarked about the Edward VII shillings not being that common, preferable to the more common monarchs.

Oxgirl wrote: ↑Thu Aug 27, 2026 9:18 pm I love how you wove in a visit to the pub AND horses in one post An expensive day out then!

I want some modern silver now. Ages since I’ve found one and I love yours. Nice to find a piece of medieval too.

Oxgirl, you have seen enough of my posts to know its not that hard for me to mention a visit to the pub AND horses in to the same post, admittedly sometimes I fail and only mention one .

Actually it was not an expensive day out. Pub meal was very reasonable. While the visit was to the Richard Phillips racing stables at Adlestrop the next day was free, although I rightly donated to the charity they were supporting. However, it could have been expensive I had taken a share in one of the horses he is syndicating - or very expensive if I had taken a share in more than one. If anybody is interested I can provide full details of horses available and costs, and I certainly would not put anybody off having a horse in with Richard

However admittedly trips to another racing yard that your thinking of can work out expensive But it is well worth it

Shame about nicking the shilling, where the tractors had not been the soil was very easy digging but where they had been when it was wet was like rock and sadly this was in one of the tracks and might have contributed to it as struggled to initially get spade in. Those medieval horse harness pendants annoy me as we know they would have looked lovely at the time but are nearly always in terrible condition when we find them now.