Metal Detecting Club holds annual presentation evening

Vectis Searchers Metal Detecting Club held there annual presentation evening on Saturday 25th January in Newport with various trophies being awarded to club members for the best finds of 2019.

The Club is the Islands oldest Metal Detecting Club and was founded in 1985 and after 35 years is still “Finding Island History”

In that time the Vectis Searchers have gained an excellent reputation among archaeologists and archaeological institutions .

They have twice been invited to attend the Big Dig at Brading Roman Villa to help with the excavations carried out by Professor Sir Barry Cunliffe of Oxford University . In addition they have been invited to join English Heritage at Carisbrooke Castle and the Channel 4 Time team programme at Yaverland.

The club is seen at most Island shows giving an opportunity for Islanders and visitors alike to see the clubs finds.

Vectis Searchers operate a “Free Search” service to Islanders and Visitors when an Item of value or sentiment is lost.

What do they do?

They dig holes ! afterwards they carefully fill the holes in so that no damage is done to the land whether pasture or arable.
Out of the holes come a variety of finds, from modern coins to ancient relics.

Club members record the precise location of the finds using GPS technology .

They are then sent to the County Archaeological Service where the Islands finds officer for the British Museum’s portable antiquities scheme (PAS) identifies , records the finds and provides a printed copy to the finder.

The Isle of Wight is considered to be the best in the country for reporting their finds and the British Museum says that discoveries have already and continue to change their previous historical records of the Island’s past.

Some finds can be valuable and over the past few years the Club has discovered gold coins, Celtic jewellery and other items that have significant financial value. If the objects are declared to be “treasure- trove ” the finder and the landowner share the prize 50/50.

All club members must take out public liability insurance of £5 million .

Land owners can benefit from not only a regular payment for the dig but also payment from valuable artefacts that are found by the club along with a list of finds which helps them put their land into historical context thus helping the County Archaeological Service document the history of life on the Island .

Vectis Searchers Metal Detecting Club constantly needs small and large areas and new locations to search, but acknowledges land is often under crop or when sheep are grazing and therefore would not be able to come on those set times , however, if land owners would like to consider allowing access and be part of the Islands wonderful history then please contact the Club Chairman Richard Armiger email r.armiger@lineone.net or telephone 01983 853447 or the club secretary Shirley Hale email shirleyhale@sky.com or telephone 01983 822268 for much more information .