History Uncovered
Revealing the past beneath your feet
History Uncovered
Revealing the past beneath your feet
Ever wondered about the rich history that’s hidden just inches below your feet?
An amazing wealth of historical significance is just waiting to be unearthered across land throughout our local area. Through careful historical research, mapping and Metal Detectors, History Hunters can help you unearth that history and bring the historical significance of your land, to life.
Who are History Hunters and what do you do?
First of all, History Hunters are a small team of Metal Detectorists and carry full public liability insurance. We are respectful and always seek permission from land owners following all guidelines as laid out by the Code of Practice for Responsible Metal Detecting in England and Wales (2017). We also support The Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) which is a voluntary scheme to record any archaeological objects found by members of the public in both England and Wales.
So, now you know we are completely honest and above board – how can we help you? Well, with your permission we can help locate lost or missing metal objects, scan your land for historical artefacts and with a lot of luck, and some careful historical research, maybe we can locate items of value. Obviously, most finds are made up of old coins and random metal objects but occasionally items of real interest are found. We do not do this hobby to make money, we do it for the love of the history. The ability to find an object, buried just inches beneath your feet. that hasn’t been seen for thousands of years, is the reason the hobby is so addictive. If you want to start Detecting to find treasure, and for monetary gain, think again, this is not the hobby for you.
So, with zero effort from yourself, there is the distinct possibility of finding something of historical significance. All you have to do, is say yes and we’ll do the rest! We even offer a free recovery service for farmers and landowners.
I'm a landowner, how can you help me?
Most people think Detectorist’s are only after on thing, treasure, but it is very rare to find something of high value. It does happen, but in all seriousness, while that is a possibility, its more likely we will simply find random bits of metal, lead, old coins and of course the good old ‘ring pull’. Occasionaly we might uncover some historical artifacts which whilst not of monetary value can be of historical value. We will show you any significant finds we make and if any items should fall under the Treasure Act, help report those finds to the Finds Liason Officer and local Coroner.
FREE Item recovery and removal of discarded metal objects
We can also offer you some important services while walking your fields, such as clearing any discarded or buried pieces of metal that could otherwise injure livestock. If you happen to lose an important tool or machinery part, we can also help you recover that too, not to mention locating buried metal pipes or drainage covers. It’s surprising how many get damaged or buried during ploughing and are difficult to locate.
So from the comfort of your home, all you have to do is say yes – we do all the hard work and you could uncover a whole wealth a historical information about your land you never existed – all without lifting a finger – well, except to email or pick up the phone.
What do you actually expect to find?
That all depends upon the land we are searching and the techniques used. There is a saying amongst detectorists “You have to walk over it to find it” and that really is true. Nearly all modern metal detectors are capable of finding items, but you really do have to walk over it first. Not everyone finds treasure and you usually find a lot of junk, trash metal objects, coins and artefacts long before you find anything of value – but that’s half the enjoyment. If it was that easy to find valuable items, everyone would be doing it.
Should an item be found that is subsequently declared as Treasure by the Coroner, it could be purchased by the British Museum. Any monetary value of that find would be split 50/50 between the finder and landowner. Alternatively, if the item gets returned by the Coroner, there may still be value there, as once you have followed the correct procedure, declared the item and had it returned, then it can be sold privately. You can read more about exactly what happens to finds once they are declared treasure at the Portable Antiquities Scheme website.
What is classed as Treasure?
- is one of at least two coins in the same find with a precious metal content of at least 10%
- if the precious metal content is less than 10%, is one of at least 10 coins in the same find
- is not a coin but has precious metal content of at least 10%
- is any object of any material found in the same place as another object that is deemed treasure
- any group of two or more metallic objects of any composition of prehistoric date that come from the same find
- is an object substantially made from gold or silver but is less than 300 years old