LOOK WHAT I FOUND! The Portable Antiquities Scheme and finds from Surrey

Garden finds from Chaldon CourtSaturday 18th January 2pm to 4pm

Chaldon Village Hall, Rook Lane, Chaldon

LOOK WHAT I FOUND!
The Portable Antiquities Scheme and finds from Surrey: a talk by Simon Maslin, followed by identification of finds.

The Portable Antiquities Scheme is run by the British Museum and National Museum Wales to encourage the recording of archaeological objects found by members of the public. Every year many thousands of such finds are made, many by metal detector users, but also by people whilst out walking, gardening or going about their daily work. Dr Simon Maslin, County Finds Liaison Officer for Surrey, explained the work of the scheme and showed images and told the stories of some of the archaeological objects found locally.

After the talk, Simon Maslin looked at finds from Chaldon, brought by those attending the talk.

The Portable Antiquities Scheme generally only records objects which are more than 300 years old and of archaeological interest, so in terms of garden finds, anything 18th-20th century in date or of geological origin (i.e. fossils) do not need to be recorded but Simon Maslin was very happy to tell us what they were and talk to us about them.

A barbed-and-tanged arrowhead found in Chaldon Church graveyard in the 1990s.
A barbed-and-tanged arrowhead found in Chaldon Church graveyard in the 1990s. Illustration by Chris Taylor. The arrowhead is part of the Croydon Natural History & Scientific Society’s collection.

Peter Connelly of East Surrey Museum brought some of the famous finds from Chaldon in a display cabinet.

 

Wine bottle, probably late 17th century, found at Chaldon Court.
Wine bottle, probably late 17th century, found at Chaldon Court.
Flint hand-axe found in a garden in The Heath and reported to the Bourne Society in 1969. Illustration from the Bourne Society publication Guide to Local Antiquities by Michael Farley.
Flint hand-axe found in a garden in The Heath and reported to the Bourne Society in 1969. Illustration from the Bourne Society publication Guide to Local Antiquities by Michael Farley.