METAL DETECTING

As apparently no archaeological study had been done in Purse Caundle, something I had therefore wanted to do for quite a while was some metal-detecting there. I have a VIKING 'Wasp' metal detector, a model said to be used by Water Companies, which meant that it could only detect metal objects, not such things as pottery.
Being a member of the National Council for Metal Detecting, I automatically had third-party insurance, provided I responsibly abided by relevant rules and procedures. I was thus able to obtain the kind permission of the landlord and tenant of Church Farm in September 2008 to metal detect there over a specified area, for a specified period.
I managed to carry out three sessions on ploughed land prior to Christmas before the weather became either too wet or frosty. The land there is clay, and very sticky when wet. I imagine that this was the sort of conditions on the Somme during WW1. Considering the adverse conditions the metal detector worked very well.
So far no treasure trove hoards have been found, but the ground has now been cleared of a lot of extraneous metal, much of which has been identified by the farmer as coming from various farm machines over the years. The photographs below show what has been found. In the first photo, bottom right is a possible percussion cap, perhaps from an aircraft's armaments. Bottom centre is someone's lost spectacles in their case, found near the objects in the second photo.

Below are four items found together in the same field, showing the farm's earlier reliance on horse-power and the services of a blacksmith. The items are part of a horse harness, part of a heavy horse horseshoe, a file, and an incomplete tethering stake.

Below is a complete Tethering Stake with its ring, to be seen in the Dorset County Museum, Dorchester.