Growing up most of us have daydreamed about finding treasure; be it the buried pirate’s booty or the sunken chest, we’ve all envisioned stumbling across some relic of past times, but have you ever gone treasure hunting? We caught up with Folkestone Metal Detectorist, local Jane Noakes, to find out more about the modern-day treasure hunter and some of her curious and fascinating finds.
Jane, who lives with her husband Tony and daughter Jess, has been avidly metal detecting for the last three years, finally taking the plunge and buying a metal detector for her birthday after 30 years of fascination.
A few YouTube videos and Facebook groups later, Jane was out in her back garden with a cheap Pinpointer digging through flowerbeds in the back garden and after a few iron nails and tent pegs, Jane came across her first treasured coin… a 2000-year-old ten pence piece, and from then on she was hooked, saving up money to purchase a higher-end second hand metal detector, an XP Goldmaxx.
Jane spoke to CommunityAd about her passion for metal detecting (or digging as Jane prefers) and explained the community spirit that comes with this classic pastime: “I call the hobby and those that are involved a community, because that is exactly what it is. There are no secret handshakes or sacred symbols, but there is a sense of belonging when you join a local club, or are out on a dig with like-minded people. There is respect for each other, for the hard work in obtaining permissions to dig on and for the ‘wonderful things’ that metal detectorists save from being lost to time.
“Metal detecting is also a great way to spend time outdoors exercising – alone in a field or on the beach – I can wander for hours without realising where the time has gone.
“It is this time away from the daily hustle and bustle, with the chance to discover a piece of lost hidden history that keeps me going back for more. The sense of digging a small hole in the ground after hearing that tell-tale beep of something other than an iron signal, the excitement as I turn out the clod and get down on my knees with the Pinpointer switched on and start poking around to locate the source, all adds to the experience.”
“What have I found? How old is it? How did it get in the middle of an empty field, but more than that, who was the last person to touch and hold it? The realisation that I am the first person to have held this since it was lost tens, hundreds or even thousands of years ago yet fate decided that I am the worthy next custodian of the find, makes me really appreciate how lucky I am in that moment.
“My advice to anyone thinking of taking up this hobby is: do your research because there are legal regulations to abide by, get yourself a permission (much harder than you would think), think carefully about where you will be digging before you purchase a detector so to be sure you get one that is suitable, and invest in insurance. The best thing to do is to try and join a local club or a dig, and have a go a few times before committing yourself, it can be an expensive and positively addictive hobby.”
If you have any private land that would be an ideal location for Jane and her metal detector, please email [email protected].