Digging For History

[poliphilo]

I've invited a couple of metal detectorists onto the farm and they're walking up and down the fields now. They've only been at it a few minutes but already they've found...

A Victorian penny
A gilt button
A harness stud
A piece of shrapnel from the Second World War
and- most intriguingly- two large bore musket balls.

The balls are bigger that you'd expect a farmer to be firing off. They imply the presence of soldiers or at least of military firearms.

More to follow...

Comments

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

I'd guess at civil war although Kent saw less fighting than many counties, especially around here!

Could also be 18th century militia however.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It doesn't look as though the balls have been fired. They were found close together so perhaps some passing soldier dropped them out of his pouch.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

That's certainly possible although it's often hard to tell if ball has been discharged.