Move on to mid morning and I took my new toy to a permission where all the arable has been planted so it's back to the pasture fields. They are soft after all the rain and a pleasure to dig. As I turned up at the farm I saw the owners (older son and father) loading up the Landrover with Barn Owl boxes to put up around the farm. Quick stop for a chat.
Now rewind the clock. It may have been just before lockdown but I left a worked flint on the son's desk. It had the hallmarks of being worked and I thought it a good specimen to teach the family what to look for. It wasn't special but was easy to identify. Roll on a few months and I asked if he still had the flint - no luck, and he wasn't sure where it had gone. A month passes and he sent me a picture - his wife had made it in to a pendant; crafts jewellery and is fascinated by the history. There's something special about holding a flint last worked several thousand years ago.
Back to today. "have you got any more flints as my wife is keen to do more" the son asks. This permission has no natural flint and finds are few and very far between - it's also the one where a lot of topsoil was removed. I said no and the chance of finding any as the arable is now under rape and you can't see through grass means we'll have to wait until the next cultivation cycle. "But I'll keep my eyes open" I say.
After a couple of hours detecting in a remote pasture I get bored and head back to the car - new toy is a new learning curve! Where's my old and trusted friend. Put the detector in the car and walk up to a poor cover crop to scout around the edges - nothing to find, not even an odd flake. But then I've walked the area a number of times.
Saunter back to the car and think, lets give the 'tector another hour and walk along the headland of the adjacent pasture field. I'm heading for the far high corner and detector is still off. Just between the headland and first line of grass there's a little furrow of dirt running for about 30 yards. It's only about 8" wide. And there it was a leaf-shaped arrowhead. On this permission worked flints are rare and arrowheads are like rocking horse droppings. I couldn't ask for more - beautifully worked and perfect for a pendant. It's a shame the tip is missing but I can't complain.
The owner and son were way off in the field putting up an owl box. Left the gear and wandered down to see them. The son was amazed and knows his wife will be over the moon. Shared a picture of the find and brought it home to record. Pictures are all done and with the FLO. As soon as the date is confirmed it will go back to his wife.
I've told him it's a rare find for his farm and not to expect them to be found to order! The chance of finding any worked flint was remote - for me, this was special.
Funny how the day turns out.
