Leicestershire Metal Detecting Society

Leicestershire Metal Detecting Society (LMDS)

Welcome to LMDS and the world of history.

We are a friendly, like minded, group who share a love of the past and everything that goes with it. Based in the heart of Leicestershire we enjoy meeting up on a regular basis and discovering Leicestershire's past in its many fields and pastures. Although we are a private group, anyone is welcome to join us at the Barrow upon Soar Conservative Club on North Street where we meet up on the first Wednesday in every month. There you will find a warm welcome from all our members, and if you love history and love this great hobby, then come along and meet us and share a pint and some food in a relaxing atmosphere.

We often have speakers and our local FLO in attendance to record and identify our many finds. We donate all funds to local charities and run numerous raffles with this in mind.

Please come along and introduce yourself / say hello and see what the Leicestershire past was like.

If you are a landowner/ farmer and you are interested in discovering what history lays beneath your fields please don't hesitate to contract us and we can arrange a meeting at your convenience.

MONTHLY MEETING

Every 1st Wednesday of the month, we meet at 7pm:
Barrow upon Soar Conservative Club
14 North Street
Barrow Upon Soar
Leicestershire
LE12 8QA

If new to our club and not yet a member of our Facebook group please get in touch before attending - simply for the reason if there's an unforeseen cancellation we wouldn't want you turning up to an empty room.

Want to get in touch? 

Feel free to get in touch for other queries or to register your interest should a space become available in our club.

Want to become a member? Would like us to present at your next function? Would you like us to scan your land or find a lost item?

SERVICE: Are you a farmer that's lost an expensive machinery part? - We can help find it! Get in touch!!!

NOTICE: Membership is currently: Limited spaces! Next meeting for potential new members will be February!

Feel free to email us at lmds2014@outlook.com where we'll aim to respond asap.

Tony - Chairman and landowner liaison
Nigel - Dig organiser and membership manager
Shelagh - Treasurer
Howard - Events manager
Darren - Website & Initial Communications

Meetings & News

Latest News - November 2024

Digs are still weekly at the moment as we have soo much available right now with yet another dig lined up for Sunday (17th) - Members get your name down (see FB group event details)

We've also had our November meeting which saw our Kevin present the most wonderful talk on all things Metal Detecting which was really great (thank you Kevin, we can't wait for part 2!

IMPORTANT NEWS: The December meeting will be our Christmas bash! Naturally this is for members only. Free food and Wine available. Please let Tony and Nigel know who will be attending. Partners are welcome too so bring them along! Oh, and there will also be a prize raffle taking place too!

Also attending the December Christmas doo will be Megan, our lovely Finds Liaison Officer who will be bringing back finds that you have previously gave her for recording. She'll also be recording any new finds so please bring your wonderful finds along!

There will be no meeting in January due to the dates the meeting would fall on. The next meeting for potential new members to pop along will be February. Drop us an email to confirm!

Latest News - October 2024

We're still at it! The past weeks have seen the LMDS club out pretty much every weekend so it's been relentless. And... we've found some interesting stuff from Iron Age, Roman, Medieval, Tudor etc. Well done to the lucky finders!

More digs to come, including this weekend - LMDS Members get your names down! As usual, see our FB page for details.

We've also had a our October meeting. Thank you to those that braved the weather and floods to make it and well done to the table of newbies who won the quiz! I think us seasoned members have some general knowledge to catch up on :)

Latest News - August 2024

Well the floodgates have opened and we've been off to a flying start. Members have been unearthing Roman and medieval coins and artefacts. The last dig was a bit tough going with the heat but that didn't stop us finding history, again!

It's so busy and we have so many fields available to us at present that digs are every weekend (until Tony needs a rest). That's pretty good going for a 'non-commercial' club. 

Oh, good news, membership is open; well partially. We have limited spaces and as we're not a commercial club, if you want to hit and run, this club is not for you. We are looking for passionate, friendly and trustworthy people who will join our metal detecting family and contribute. People who would like to attend our meetings, make new friends and generally have a laugh and good time without and of course, it always goes down well if you bring cakes :) If you're looking to be part of something (rather than just turn up when you feel like it), get in touch and tell us a bit about yourself!

How does membership work? We invite you to join us a club meet and go through the 'dos and don'ts. You'll then be invited as a guest on selected digs and all being well, when the annual membership sign up comes around in December you'll be invited to join us full time which means reduced dig fee and can attend every dig.

Lastly, our FLO for Leicestershire and Rutland will be in attendance for our September meeting. Megan will be there to help identify and record your finds so make sure you bring along any finds over 300 years old or those you have no idea what they are :)

GL & HH

Latest News - June/July 2024

Well, it's been a blast but land is hard to find at the moment as we're pretty much out of season. Yup, digs are now few and far between due to all fields either in crop or pasture too irresponsible to detect at this time of year. But, it's been a blast has it not? Recent digs have been exciting as we just keep managing to find history under our feet. See the image below, says it all really! 

Please bear with us when it comes to organising digs. Anyone with their own permission will tell you they have little or nothing to detect right now. Harvest will soon be here as we can already see some of the barley and oats are nearly due.

In the meantime, we have our monthly meeting where Nigel will host a quiz. Hot food and drinks being served at the bar too (good pub grub i might add)!

Megan, our FLO will be attending the August meeting so make sure you get those finds cleaned, bagged and tagged ready to be photographed.

And as always, be safe, good luck and happy hunting!

Latest News - May 2024

We're still going! Whilst the weather put a dampener on things we cracked on. Another successful few months of unearthing England's colourful past.

Thanks to all that turned up to our most recent club meet and congrats to the quiz winners on their bottles of wine. It was also a great night to see our FLO in attendance too, thanks Megan!

Digs are back on the cards, our next one close to the site of a DMV, fingers crossed we'll unearth some wonderful finds.

Membership is semi-open but in high demand. If you wish to join drop us an email and tell us a bit about yourself. Those that can't join yet will be added to a waiting list.

Latest News - Jan/Feb 2024

What a cracking start to the new year! We've certainly kicked off on a high note with dig after dig after dig. And the finds kept coming from Roman silver, Saxon jewellery to modern gold. And it's not stopping there as we have more digs lined up pretty much most Sundays for the next few weeks as we have plenty of available land including a lot of unresearched and undetected!

Members, keep your eyes peeled on the Facebook group for more information.

Latest News - December 2023

A very exciting and productive end to the year I must say. Our recent searches have been very fruitful with finds aplenty, and again, from a wide range or eras. This has helped us to help our landowners better understand their land and what might have been occurring on it over the ages. The last two or three digs have been so productive it almost feels like every member has found at least a roman, saxon or medieval coin, some members even finding their very first medieval coin - what a feeling!

For one extremely lucky finder, a find of a life-time was unearthed in the form of an iconic gold cross pendant dating from the medieval period. This is no doubt a find of significance and is going through the Treasure process as I type! It goes without saying, the landowner is over the moon with this find and again, it just shows how we maintain our integrity in ensuring we report such finds to both the landowner and the state. Look out for reports of this find in the media some time in the future!

Moving on, we also celebrated our 10th year as club at our annual Christmas bash. Lots of prizes won and much fun was had (and wine for Tony!). A big thank you to everyone who donated prizes.

Tony has been popping round to see the farmers and landowners with the usual bottles of wine, whiskey and chocolates (always goes down well) and on his travels has been given a new permission for the club to search having received a good reference from a fellow farmer we detect for. Well done Tony!

Right, nearly there...

January's monthly meeting might be shifted to the Tuesday 9th because the first Wednesday is a wee bit too close to Christmas. I may also remind you that it's membership renewal month so please ensure you have your FID or NCMD insurance up-to-date. Members, keep an eye on the Facebook group page for more details!

Righto, that's it for now. GL & HH folks!

Latest News - October 2023

Well it's been a busy one. It has been pretty manic with digs since the harvest began with LMDS having a dig almost every weekend. It got to the point Tony got told off by his better half so had to have a break one weekend but that didn't stop Tony and Nigel checking the fields out and along the way gaining yet another new permission which is very promising indeed!

So, what's happened since August? Well, we've had our monthly meetings which has included quizzes and of course or lovely FLO, Victoria pop along and grace us with her presence to record our finds. We've also welcomed some wonderful new members so who are more than happy to provide cakes for the finds table on dig days, hint hint new and existing members :)

So what about finds? It seems like de ja vu but I can honestly say? Yet again it's been a wonderful start to the detecting season with finds dating back to the Iron Age, Roman, Saxon, Medieval, Tudor, Stuart finds all the way to modern. With care, we've even confirmed the resting place of a WW Bomber!

What's next? More digs of course so for members, ensure you keep an eye on the Facebook page. 

We also have Novembers meeting which I think will be quiz night (now cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances) and of course the Christmas bash for Decembers meet!

Keep 'em peeled!

GL & HH folks.

Latest News - August 2023

And.... so it begins! The harvest is happening and the crops are coming off. We've already had one dig and some amazing finds turned up which is helping us understand the history of said the area. Again we've unearthed Roman, medieval, Tudor and Stuart periods not to mention the umpteen amounts of Georgian and Victorian. It's certainly kept us busy.

We had a wonderful quiz night at the last meeting and met some lovely new people who are seeking to join us - some of which have joined our digs as guests and thoroughly enjoyed finding coins and artefacts along with, of course, the usual bottle tops and ring pulls.

That leads me onto the subject new memberships. Our club aims NOT to be a commercial club and thus we are very particular about whom we let join us. We have a duty of responsibility to our history, archaeology and of course our landowners. Membership is almost full but please don't let that stop you from getting in touch as we can always add you to the waiting list.

Next dig is this Wednesday (16th), yup that's right we're doing a small mid-week search. Then we'll be looking at the fields again to see what we can scan next so, members, keep an eye on the Facebook group.

NEXT CLUB MEETING: 6th September from 7pm

Latest News - June/July 2023

Well, what can we say? It's been far from a quiet month as with new land comes plenty of digs! If I recall correctly we've had all sorts from Roman through to modern including gold! Well done to the lucky finders/landowners.

The digs aren't stopping either! We have another dig lined up for Sunday 23rd.

We also have our monthly meeting lined up for Wednesday 2nd August - the plan is still tbc. Possibly a quiz or a speaker. Either way it will be a good night again with good company.

Latest News May/June 2023

The season is coming to a end and with land in crop, pasture too try things are slowing down until harvest. That said we are still digging. Next dig is lined up for Sunday 11th June.

We also have our monthly meeting where we'll also welcome our new FLO, Victoria Szafara so make sure you bring some finds for Identification. We'll also be having a quiz night so bring your thinking caps with you.

The club has just spent £200 on new books for the Library. Please see Colin and Cath from which you can loan the books from.

GL and HH.

Latest News April 2023

Just a reminder that we have our monthly meeting on Wednesday 3rd May from 7pm and this month we have a VIP guest speaker, Professor Richard Thomas from the University of Leicester who, as well as teaching and research has written many publications and appeared frequently on TV programmes such as Digging for Britain, Attenborough and the giant Elephant and Richard III - The New Evidence, to name a few.

As well as doing a talk for us based on the the Bradgate Park excavations, Richard is also a bone specialist. If time permits, he will run a short 'bone lab' so he will identify any unknown bones and teeth you may have come across, so bring them along.

Please ensure you are there early to grab your seat. 

Entry is free and we welcome potential new members who have emailed us at the address above and have been invited to pop along and introduce themselves.

Latest News - March/April 2023

Well it's been a little quiet the past few weeks, mainly due to the weather but also due to family and 'life' commitments. We should be back on track for May however!

Tony is out checking the fields shortly to get a dig arrange for the start of May which will coincide nicely with the monthly meeting.

Yup, next meeting is Wednesday 3rd May. We are looking to have a guest speaker. It starts from 7pm so make sure you're there, and, of course, bring along any finds you have uncovered on your own permissions so we can all see them.

Latest News - February 2023

Well, this month is flying by. Already two great digs with plenty of finds and we've obtained yet another large permission which is really good news as it's always nice to scan new areas. We have heard news that one of our members finds is a first of it's kind and is helping to re-write the history books - I can't say much else on this except it was a pleasure to have held the object and of course, this is the reason we detect, not for money, but to unearth something ground breaking and gets us thinking about our past in a different light.

Anyhow, we have another dig lined up for Sunday 26th Feb and then one likely a fortnight after.

Our Finds Liaison Officer (FLO) will be attending our next meeting on the 1st March so that will be a good night for sure.

New members, we are staring to become limited for space. Once we are full we will place potential new members on the waiting list. Please do still continue to email us and we'll get back in touch asap.

Righty, GL & HH out there folks!

Latest News - January 2023

What a cracking end to the year that was eh!

A big thank you to everyone who turned up and made it a great evening. Also well done to the find of the year that went to Brian for his lovely gilt medieval seal matrix. And of course, well done to those who won prizes on the raffle, some were extremely lucky bagging more than one prize. And last but not least, a big thank you to the Barrow Club for hosting us and putting on a wonderful spread.

And that wasn't all, we even managed to get out on a few digs despite the terrible weather and it was a good job too as members unearthed Celtic, Roman, Medieval and Tudor artefacts and coins.

In other news, thanks to a wonderful member, we have managed to gain a new permission (Thank you Ian). This will be new to the club and don't have the full info yet but Nigel will be visiting the landowner shortly so stand by for another fun packed year.

Next dig is likely to be 5th February, keep an eye on the Facebook group for more info.

An also remember, we have the monthly club meeting (details above) where we'll be having another guest speaker - potential new members also welcome, just come and introduce yourself to Tony and Nigel.

Latest News - December 2022

Well what a wash out November has been. That said we did sneak a dig in towards the end and had a lovely time swimming in mud yet some lucky finders still managed to unearth coins and relics so well done on your perseverance.

Short 'n' sweet this news roundup.... (as always check our Facebook group for further details)

Sunday 11th December is our next dig.

Thursday 15th is the Annual Christmas Bash at the Conservative Club. Food is laid on and there will be a raffle with lots of prizes.

Wednesday 28th will be a mid-week dig for those lucky enough to be off work.

Sunday 8th Jan another dig

Right, that's it for now - GL & HH

Latest News - October 2022

Quick update folks...

Meetings have moved to Wednesday nights now. Each monthly meeting is now on the first Wednesday of the month at 7pm as usual.

Next dig is Sunday 23rd October. Keep an eye on the Facebook group for more info.

On another note, I wonder who lost this seal all those years ago?

Latest News - September 2022

Well well well, what a few digs we have had! It's been a storming start to 2022/23 season. We have found a lot, and I mean, a lot of medieval and tudor hammered coins not to mention the artefacts too!

Lucky LMDS finders have uncovered an array of finds dating right back to the Iron Age. Amongst the finds there's been a rare Saxon coin, Roman silver denari, rare medieval coins and stunning brooches and seal matrix. And the best news.....

We're back to some of our productive fields in the up-coming digs!

On that note, next dig is Sunday 9th October - members get your name down on our Facebook group asap.

IMPORTANT - Monthly meeting is THURSDAY 6th October. Please can you try and attend along with 2-3 finds that you'd like recorded as, Megan, our FLO will be present so let's not disappoint her, we've sure got enough to show her!

See you soon!

Latest News - August 2022 v2

We've had some cracking digs haven't we! It's been a good start to the new season. We've found Iron Age, Roman, Medieval, Tudor right through to modern times. Well done to Martin for finding not one but two silver roman denarii and a Celtic gold stater - will you put the lottery on for us tonight? :) hehehehe.

Not much else to report. Tony and Nigel are now back out looking at the fields now we've had some rain so keep an eye out on the Facebook group for dig details.

Remember, next club meeting is 1st September (always see above in case of cancellation). We have a talker this month which will be very interesting so make sure you get there early to reserve your seats.

Latest News - August 2022

Well what a great start to the new season! Our first proper dig unearthed finds from many eras. Roman, medieval and tudor coins popping up along with a fair few artefacts of which some were really nice dating from the medieval period. Well done to the lucky finders.

So, reading above you'll have gathered we have been fairly quiet over the past 4-6 weeks due to fields being in crop and those few that were available we just to dry for us to responsibly dig on. Fear not, the new season is here and the crops are coming off. We have many digs lined up so keep an eye on the main Facebook group for further details (Tony is out checking the fields as I type!).

In other news, at time of writing, next dig day is likely to be Sunday 7th August and then likely fortnightly from there.

 Also, we have the monthly meeting on the 4th August usual time and place (details above). We have our local FLO in attendance so please bring your finds so they can be recorded. Potential new members that have been emailing us - please pop along and introduce yourself, we don't bite :)

That's it for now. See you all soon!

Latest News - May 2022 v2

Well, we keep looking but due to a different crop rotation this year we are, like other clubs, finding it difficult to find land to detect. All our arable is in crop and pasture is far to dry. In fact, the land is so dry it's almost like it's mid summer. Anyhow, we are not the only club in this situation and even solo detectorists are hanging up their coils for a short while. It is, after all, known as 'out of season' now for us detectorists.

Be patient, we do still keep checking in with our landowners and will always let you know via our Facebook group if we have anything available.

Latest News - May 2022 v1

Just a quick one to mention our May and June meetings, due to unforeseen circumstances has had to be cancelled. Next meeting will be July.

As for digs, next dig is Sunday 8th May - members can find details on our Facebook group page.

Latest News - April 2022

Happy Easter everyone. Haven't we had great weather, for a change :)

Well, it's been a busy one so far. We've had two digs, one of which was the annual 'moose hunt' Easter dig where food and drink was laid on foc charge for all members. Thank you to Paul for being Chef for the day and of course to all of you who turned up. Finds were a little slow to pop up but the atmosphere was super and the banter kept flowing. It was nice to see everyone out enjoying themselves. Star find that day was Jim and his silver Denari coin. A shout out goes to Jaanu Indian Restaurant who kindly allowed us to use their car park for the day - Thank you!

Over the two digs we've managed to find objects and coins dating right back to the roman period. Medieval coins have not been shy either so well done to you lucky finders.

Don't forget, we also had a wonderful speaker at this month meeting bringing to life the art of medieval archery!

One last mention. LMDS has recently donated £50 to the charity 'Mind'  which offers support and wellbeing for mental health.

What's next?

We have our monthly meeting from 7pm on Thursday 5th May. - Cancelled, next meet is in June. Potential new members should come and introduce yourselves. Venue details above (Barrow conservative club). This months meeting will be a quiz night AND a 'bring your finds evening'. Please can you have a look through your finds and bring 2 or 3 of your favourite finds to show the other members.

Next dig is likely to be 30th/1st May but as usual, keep an eye on our Facebook group for confirmation.

Latest News - March 2022 v2

Quick update folks....

We've had 5 digs on the trot and..... it's not stopping there!

We have another dig lined up for Saturday 26th March (moved from the Sunday as it's Mothers Day). We also have another dig lined up for the following Sunday. The dig on Saturday is very close to a Roman Villa, of course no promises, but it would be nice to add to the knowledge of the area if we can.

We are planning a hunt for Easter already too! The dig will have hot dogs and burgers available so fingers crossed we'll have the weather with us too. Keep the Easter weekend in mind :)

Lastly, a reminder that the next club meeting is on Thursday 7th April! We have guest speaker on the battle of Bosworth and medieval artillery. This is free and we welcome guests, you don’t have to be a member :)

Latest News - March 2022

Well, we've encountered a lot of bad weather haven't we eh. Oh well, it can't be helped but we got there eventually. A beautiful day to be had for metal detecting and we made the most of it. Our latest dig was a little odd if we do say so ourselves. A field with lots of nooks and crannies, lumps and bumps that made us work for it. The field and weather conditions were ideal and sure enough, with patience the finds started to pop up. Plenty of signals so we imagine we all slept very well that night. Lucky finds unearthed Georgian, Tudor, medieval and bronze age objects including Axe head, coins and many umpteen artefacts. The field, I say was "odd" because one area was full of Georgian era objects yet another area produced many coins from the medieval period, particularly Edward I to Henry III. But why? I'm not sure we'll figure this field out.

In other news...

To ease the pressure on Tony, a meeting was held to discuss the future of LMDS and as such a few key decisions have been made of which more info will follow in due course.

Now, we don't have official titles as such but to elaborate a little....

Tony will continue to chair the club and liaise directly with our landowners and farmers etc.

Nigel will continue to be the Dig Organiser and manage the memberships. When digs are posted, please respond even if you can't make it.

Howard is going to take the role to organise guest speakers, entertainment, trips out etc. Please support H in this role and even if you can't make an event, again please respond accordingly.

Paul is going to take on the hunt for new permissions for the club. Something which is very time consuming and often a thankless task - good luck pal!

Darren is going to continue with the website maintenance and handle initial contact for new membership requests. He will also handle contact from landowners/farmers and of course anyone else getting in touch e.g. lost item and presentation invite requests.

Shelagh is to become our new Treasurer.

The aim of all this is to allow Tony to get some of his personal time back. Running LMDS is almost a full time job so we hope these changes will ease the burden. 

May we politely ask all members to first ask any questions etc on our Facebook group first before contacting Tony or any other LMDS committee member. This doesn't mean we don't want to be contacted, it's just we, in particular Tony, is constantly and repeatedly replying to the same questions where these can be seen by everyone on the group. Thank you.

Moving on...

It's Club meeting night on Thursday 3rd March. Same time same place BUT it's also membership renewal time AND Megan our FLO is going to be in attendance so PLEASE ensure you bring all your finds that need to be recorded - it's very important we do this and, whilst we don't always get time to say it, WE are very appreciative to all those who log finds with Megan. The finds don't have to be from this year, they can be from whenever so just bring them along!!!

See you soon folks but in the meantime, good luck and happy hunting!

Latest News - February 2022

Here we are again, another couple of months just flying by. Surely the better weather isn't too far away now. So, that reminds us to remind you...

We have dig lined up for Sunday 6th Feb - as always get your name asap, visit the Facebook group for more details. Hopefully no mud baths this time :)

Also, the next club meeting is on Thursday 3rd Feb and we have a guest speaker on the subject of mudlarking on the river Thames. If you folks want to order food, check out Pauls post on the Facebook group for the menu.

The following meeting will be March 3rd and this is an important one. This meeting will be club membership renewal time so please be mindful of this. We'll also have our FLO, Megan Gard in attendance so also don't forget your finds if you want to get them checked over and logged.

On the subject of membership. Our membership requires you to have your own insurance. We have no preference so long as it's with NCMD, FID or AMDS. It's worth having for piece of mind! 

Latest News - October & December 2021

It's been a while! 

Where do I start.... I suppose with the digs. We've had dig after dig after dig. We've battled mother nature detecting through the wind, rain, hail and even snow! We revisited fields and detected new fields both arable and pasture. Some fields not behaving as one would expect and others throwing surprises at us but that's just how the hobby goes and let's be honest it's been worth it as some of you lucky members have unearthed some nice coins and artefacts. Again, we've been successful in finding objects dating from the roman period right through to modern times.

We've also had two club meetings, one of which was lovely to meet our new FLO, Megan Gard, who was very happy to record our finds from the last two years and not forgetting our last dig, the annual 'Red Hat Dig' where it was great to have everyone getting together for one last outing before we settle in for Christmas. A big thanks to Paul for keeping everyone's bellies full, cheers pal!

So what next... well it's the Christmas party at the Barrow Conservative Club, Thursday 16th December. Tony and Nigel have paid for a buffet for everyone who has put their names down to eat (if you haven't already you need to let Tony know!!!). As well as the usual 'getting merry' there's also going to be a raffle with some amazing prizes including 'Man v Field' polo shirts, booze and free dig vouchers so make sure you buy some tickets on the night, you gotta be in it to win it!

As for digs... well as usual., keep an eye on the Facebook page because, knowing Tony and Nigel, they'll be itching to get out again asap with you nutters, plus I'm pretty certain we'll all need to work off that Christmas pudding :)

On that note, Tony and Nigel have some "amazing events" planned for 2022 so let's look forward to what they announce.

Lastly, from all at LMDS we'd like to thank the Barrow Conservative Club for allowing us to host our meetings there, our landowners for allowing us to enjoy our hobby on their land and of course all of you members that make this club enjoyable to be part of. And also, a special thanks to those of you who help out from time to time, it doesn't go unnoticed, you know who you are, thank you.

Have a great Christmas everyone, stay safe and see y'all soon!

Latest News - October 2021

Well another month has past and again some of you diggers have been lucky enough to find coins and artefacts ranging from the Roman through to Medieval and Tudor so well done to you.

Digs have been busy as usual albeit the last one was a bit of a washout but hey, some things we just can't help but as always keep looking up as the next dig is never far away....

Speaking of digs, the next two are already lined up. After visiting fields over this past week the LMDS Team have got digs lined up for Sunday 31st October and again the following Sunday, 7th November.

The annual RED HAT DIG is scheduled too. This will be hosted on Sunday 12th December so get this booked in your calendar now!

It goes without saying but.... keep an eye on the Facebook group for further details and ensure you click 'Going' when the events are posted up (these next two are already in the events section)!!!

In other news, our monthly evening meetings are still ongoing. Remember 7PM first Thursday of every month. Guests are welcome. Location, Barrow upon Soar Conservative Club - details at the top of this page. To confirm the next two are on November 4th where we have guest speaker so make sure you turn up early for the best seats. The second is on 2nd December and we'll have our FLO in attendance so if you want to meet and log finds with Megan please bring your finds with you.

Lastly, and very importantly, our CHRISTMAS BASH will take place on the 16th December. There will be a quiz and a buffet laid on at no extra cost to members. Nigel will also be presenting the winner of the BEST FIND OF 2021 with an award therefore please can we ask you all to attend this evening and make it a special one as we missed out last year so let's have a knees up together and put the last 18 months of lockdowns behind us!!!

Latest News - September 2021

Two more digs! Yup, that's right you have all been busy with back to back digs. Some amazing stuff has been found. This one is going to be short and sweet and I'll let the finds in the below picture speak for themselves.

Next dig is on Sunday 19th so check the Facebook group for more details.

Latest News - August 2021 v2

Well, it's been two digs since our last update - we certainly have got off to a flying start!

Our latest dig was a tale of two fields, one was a hard battle whilst the second field started to give up it's secrets. The day was a stead one with finds dating from the modern era right back to Roman and even the Bronze age. Top finds included a roman silver denari, bronze age axe head, medieval penny and a lovely George III silver bull head half crown. There was no stopping my two lads who teamed up to find a George V penny, Leicestershire regiment cap badge, a Georgian barrel tap and to top it off a massive George III silver half crown. What did I find? Nothing!!! And that's the way it goes... my two lads putting me to shame hehehe.

As mentioned above, it was a tale of two fields. Any dig organiser will tell you, nothing is guaranteed. We cannot promise finds on every field. Some clubs will do a 'recce' scan on fields however LMDS do NOT do this. If Tony and Nigel say a field is undetected then truly, to their knowledge no detector has been on the field and it's pot luck what you find, even for them. Anything and everything is a surprise - remember, sometimes it's about luck - you just need to be the one to walk over it.

On the theme of digs, especially now the crops are coming off, we normally do fortnightly digs but Tony is looking to do a dig again, NEXT weekend - members, please see Tonys post on the Facebook group and respond asap!

Memberships - folks, you should now have renewed your membership, if you haven't then please liaise with Tony asap! And on that note ensure you have up to date insurance from NCMD or FID! https://www.ncmd.co.uk/insurance/ or http://www.fid.org.uk/ .

Club meeting - Folks the next meeting is going to be a good one!!! We have booked a speaker who will be doing a talk on the Medieval Knights Templar - please be there prompt for 7pm to get a seat. Guests are welcome as well as potential new members BUT please buy a pint at the bar on your way in :)

That's all for now, see you soon :)

Latest News - August 2021

What a great start to the month! Not only have we had our first club meeting for such a long time we also managed to get out history hunting!

Firstly, thank you to everyone for the continued support. It was great to see many of you at the meeting including some new faces :)

As stated above, we managed to get out together for the first time in a long time only to be followed up by a second dig! I know, we spoil you, hehe.

So, what can we say..... the two recent digs produced Roman brooches, and medieval coins through to modern day. Six lucky diggers found silver rings too, now that IS lucky!

Another dig is booked on new land again this weekend. We have a choice of pasture or arable. We're not sure which fields we'll do yet but it's always nice to get on a freshly ploughed field. Keep an eye on the Facebook page for more info.

The next meeting will be on the 2nd of September and should be and great night as we have the great Nick Marshall doing and talk on the Knight's Templars. All guest are welcome at no charge just buy a drink at the bar :)

See you very soon!

Latest News - July 2021

Well, it's been a long wait but crops are slowly coming off the fields. Not long now folks and we'll be back on the fields.

In the meantime, as lockdown is easing we have decided to host our first meeting back. Usual place (Barrow upon Soar Conservative Club) at 7pm on August 5th. Guests are welcome too.  Please try and make it as we're in contact with Megan, our new FLO, hoping she can make it too.

Naturally there will be the usual banter, showing of finds and latest updates from Tony and Nigel and who knows, maybe a raffle too :)

Latest News - May 2021

Hello everyone! It's been a while but we are, as you probably already know, allowed back in the fields following social distancing guidelines.

So what can we say?

Our first dig back in the fields was a very busy one. Artefacts and coins dating back to the roman period through to modern times just kept popping up. The field has obviously seen a lot of history but it looks like it's had a fairly busy time in the recent year as lots of modern coinage and a few rings were found. Roman coins and the two brooches appear to date to the 4th century and, if you can get through the modern, there's bound to be more waiting to be unearthed.

Folks, on the status of digs, we have another one scheduled for Sunday in a very historic area. The field in question is in the middle of a medieval windmill, pow camp, roman farmstead and a possible iron age settlement but as always, we can't guarantee what will be found, you just have to be lucky enough to walk over it! Visit our Facebook page for details.

In other news...

The Leicestershire Police Constabulary have approached LMDS asking for assistance in getting to grips with modern metal detectors. Tony and Nigel are liaising with the Police and will be looking for volunteers to assist in their training. Watch this space!

Meetings - We've had the green light to arrange our monthly meetings again and the Barrow club for upto 30 people. We are keeping our eyes on the social distancing guidelines and think it's a bit too early to arrange anything HOWEVER we will be arranging a meet up once it's feels right to do so.

Some of you may have heard about this already before but again, a big thank you and well done has to go to Pete for managing to find a lost ring despite the odds stacked against him. It goes without saying but the landowner was extremely happy with the outcome. See the image below, now that's dedication!!!

Latest News - March 2021

We're Back! Well, kind of. As you are now aware we are allowed out again following the latest government guidance. This means we are able to Metal Detect either solo or with one other person who isn't a member of your household (following social distance guidelines) BUT so long as it is in your local area.

It will still be a while yet before we can meet as a group to detect but hang on in there as the end of COVID is in sight. T the moment there's an idea on the table to have a weekender (when it's safe to do so) including a prize draw and BBQ. If you have any ideas please post up the Facebook group.

For those of us have been lucky enough to get out please post up your finds on the Facebook group. Here's a selection of finds from our members unearthed recently (see image below).

Insurance Reminder - it's that time of year again so this is a polite reminder to purchase your annual insurance from either NCMD or FID!!!

In other news, one LMDS member was tasked by a landowner to find a severn trent stop tap. The landowner was struggling to investigate the cause of high water costs due a ST reporting a leak on their land. After being given an approximate location it took just 20 minutes to locate the tap. It had been completely covered over by mud from years and years of the tractors driving in the area. Another happy farmer and the best bit... he's saved money too!

In other not so nice news... we have received reports of illegal metal detecting in the Wreake Valley area. These are not 'Metal Detectorists' but instead thieves with metal detectors - two completely different sets of people and something LMDS will fight against. We have advised the landowner that, with sufficient evidence, such people can be prosecuted for "going equipped to steal or commit burglary with intent to steal" (section 25). To help combat against such individuals we have advise the landowner to setup cameras, particularly motion sensored wildlife cams which can be placed in obscure areas to catch people in the act. If you are a landowner and you have experienced such issues LMDS may be able to help so please get in touch.

Message to Landowners: Most people who undertake the Metal Detecting hobby will follow the code of conduct set out by the NCMD and will always do their upmost to treat your land with respect. As with all things in life, it's always the minority that spoil it for the rest and therefore we'd just like to express to you that thieves 'night hawking' land are not true 'Metal Detectorists' so please be kind should you ever have a new person to the hobby knock on your door asking for permission. I remember my first time asking for permission. I was very nervous and mixed my words up. Fortunately, I met some wonderful people when starting out who put their trust in me. I still detect their land today and have become friends from doing so. However, I did have one landowner who was very abusive towards me and used language that made my ears bleed. Why? Well, you can guess can't you!

Righto, that's it for now! Stay safe people!

Latest News - December 2020

Ok, so this year hasn't been great and that's putting it lightly. The two lockdowns had a major impact on our club although we were not the only one to suffer. We have to remember that the whole nation suffered unprecedented times not seen since the Wartime era all those decades ago.

Some tough decisions had to be made which you are all aware of but these decisions were made in the best interests of our members, friends, family, landowners, farmers.... the whole Nation to be truthful. We had to play our part at limiting the spread of C19 and we have done just that. Even when we were allowed out we still adhered to strict safety rules. Rest assured, as soon as we are able to do so, and safe to do we will arrange to get out again once more.

Something a bit more positive now...

It's Christmas time!

As I type Tony and Nigel are delivering drinks and chocolates to the farmers and landowners who kindly allow us to search their land. This is where our membership money goes. It helps us maintain good relations with our landowners and also show our appreciation as without them, our hobby would not exist.

We hope that everyone has a great Christmas and a 'merry' new year. Keep safe, those fields aren't going anywhere and we'll be back on them soon I'm sure!

Here's to the happier times...

Latest News - October 2020 v2

Quick update to say... we have one happy farmer.

Well done lads on helping our farmer find this lost part. It doesn't look much but you just saved him £400!!!!!!!!

Give yourself a pat on the pack :)

Latest News - October 2020

After reviewing the latest Government advice, rules and law changes we bring sad news. 

New changes now state that we cannot organise events for our chosen charity unless we are THE official body or registered charity itself.

The committee have done all we can to keep everyone safe and still put on digs however we must follow the law. I'm sure you understand that first and foremost must keep everyone safe and whilst metal detecting is probably the best hobby to undertake in isolation it is also a source for controversy. In addition, we must also act responsible towards our landowners and farmers as they too wish us to stick to the law.

In conclusion, there will be no digs or meetings until further notice. We will, of course, keep a close eye on the Government advice and law changes and will keep you updated as to when we can dig and meet again.

Please keep checking the Facebook page for the latest updates and for those fortunate to have their own permissions and still metal detect, please post up your finds on the page and let us know how you're getting on.

Stay safe!

Latest News - September 2020 v2

Well, we made it. The end of September is upon us and boy did we have a busy month. Plenty of digs to keep you folks busy and you were rewarded with plenty of history being saved. 

Our recent digs have revealed the presence of the Vikings! Yup, this was a little unexpected. As everyone may be aware finding anything relating to the Danes is very rare so for us to stumble across an area littered with Norse activity is a brilliant discovery. The landowners have been made aware that they possess land which is very special. On top of that, lucky finders unearthed objects and coins dating from the Iron Age, roman, early medieval, medieval and Tudor through to modern times. From what we have counted it looks like over 60 hammered coins have been found! This area is very special indeed and we'll continue to investigate simply because we haven't yet unravelled the story behind this area.

Moving on... We are now officially working for a registered charity. In the past we have simply donated funds from charity digs direct to the charity of the landowners choice with no regards to our official standings within the charitable community. Due to the current ever changing times we decided it was the right thing to do and have registered the club as an official partner with Age UK, Registered charity number 1067881. With the help of one club member (you know who you are - thank you), we are now able to continue in the hunt for lost history BUT... we must do so in very safe conditions. Tony and Nigel will be ensuring they keep up to date with the latest Government guidance and in turn enforcing it at any future digs. We are as keen as anyone to keep digging but we are going to be very strict on enforcing all safety measures to ensure we do not jeopardize anyone's health. This club has built up a good reputation in the MD community and we want to maintain it. On that note, the first donation as an official charity of £100 went to Help the Aged - thank you everyone :)

Righto, as you are aware times keep changing and some things our beyond our control therefore, for the time being, all Thursday, monthly meetings are cancelled until further notice. Apologies.

Next Dig: Saturday 3rd October. Please see Facebook group for further details.

Latest News - September 2020

I don't know about you but I need a rest... well, just kidding BUT all these digs have certainly kept us on our toes hasn't it!

With Covid-19 stopping play for so long Tony and Nigel certainly have kept us busy wanting to make up lost time. We've gone from fortnightly digs to weekly digs and I'm sure you are grateful as am I. Naturally, this is going to be sustainable every month but for now we are making the most of the cropped fields. With the farmers planting similar crops they have all been harvested at the same which has given the LMDS Team plenty of land to choose from. We've gone from being in lockdown, then hardly no fields (as they were still in crop) to an abundance of land to search.

Why I am I telling you this? Well, Tony and Nigel have yet ANOTHER dig lined up for the weekend but! Yes that's right, we are going out again! It's likely to be Sunday, 13th so get them batteries charged up folks and keep your eyes peeled on the Facebook page for further details.

Talking of digs..... didn't we do well yesterday at the last dig (5th Sept)? Objects and coins dating from the Bronze Age, roman, medieval, tudor right through to Victorian were found and some were very nice indeed. Based on information Tony received through the day some of you chose to take a chance and go looking for what might have been an ancient trackway. Well done to those who gambled as you did in fact appear to locate the trackway leading to an old spring or fish pond. For your efforts you were rewarded with many hammered coins from the medieval and tutor eras. Well done!

I might add the landowner is very happy with our conduct over the past and this really helps. Little do you know the field was due to be fertilised on Friday but the farmer held back the order for the day after the dig. What a start than guys is and thank you for treating the land with respect.

Another 'Thank You' goes to those who helped Tony setup and dismantled the table and 'stuff' in the absence of Nigel and I. Tony is a bit delicate right now and your help was very much appreciated!

REMEMBER: Children under the age of 16 dig for FREE - but remember to book them in with Tony and Nigel before bringing them along as we are still restricted to 30 people (inc Admin) being present.

Moving on... Thanks to all those who turned up to the monthly group meeting. It was nice seeing old and new faces. Thank you to H and Andy for running the quiz and a big congratulations to table 3 winning the quiz and receiving a free dig pass each. Well done!

The next meeting will be on October 1st. I'm still waiting on what's in store for the next meeting although we may have the new FLO, Megan visiting us. This is NOT currently confirmed but we'll update you asap. In the meantime it might be worth getting 2 or 3 of you finds ready for recording. On that note, Megan won't have time to record upteen objects so please be kind on her first visit and just bring 1-3 objects for now otherwise she'll be there 'till the next day. Please note: We still need to figure out how to maintain social distancing for Megans visit - we'll update you in due course.

In other news, we've teamed up with Spreadshirt and uploaded our new logo. You can now order LMDS based clothing and 'stuff' along with some other Funny T-Shirts by visiting the link below. At time of writing there is a 15% discount applied. If this expires and you need to place an order, let Darren know and he'll re-apply the discount to the store. 

https://partner.spreadshirt.co.uk/shop-area/100576076/shop 

Latest News - August 2020 v2

Well, what an explosive return!!! Three digs over two weekends sees us back with a bang. The weekender dig was certainly a lucky time for some diggers. Over the course of the weekend Roman, medieval and tudor finds made an appearance with some hammered coins in stunning condition. Two diggers stayed a little longer and may have found what looks like a track and bridge crossing which was used by the Romans. Further investigation is needed!!!

Also, from this dig... well done to Paul, Kevin and Andy on winning Man v Field polo shirts based on the best top 3 finds from the weekend, well done lads!

The follow up dig was a little quieter but hey, you never know what's on a field until you start swinging. That said, some people still managed to winkle out some history, again hammered coinage seems to have been the most common of finds.

LMDS also received not one, but two requests to help find lost rings. Thank you to those who offered to help locate the rings. Whilst one search was unsuccessful the second was a result. It was great to see one happy person reunited with their ring.

Oh, and on that note, thanks to Grant we have one happy farmer who we also re-united with a lost tractor part. Top stuff :)

Right, so what's cracking.... well, don't sit down for too long folks as we have yet another dig this weekend. Yup, get those batteries charged up as Saturday looks very promising. Tony and Nigel are looking at the fields as I type and if all goes well then we could be on land which is reported to have a Bronze Age site on it AND a roman Villa approx 1/4 mile away. Keep your eyes peeled on the Facebook page for more details!!!!!!!!!!

Latest News - August 2020

Whoohoo - we are back! And we're back with a bang! That's right folks, not just a day dig but a weekender, well, more like two full days digging on very historic land. Firstly, we'll be re-visiting land  just before lockdown that was very productive despite the very harsh conditions where medieval and roman finds kept popping up all over the place. The information we gathered and passed back to the Estate owner was met with a lot of excitement. The Estate owner was very happy with how we conducted ourselves and with the info we passed on has helped them understand a little more about their land. They are so happy, they have gone out their way to set the land for us, nice and flat. AND, yes, there's more.... Saturday is a FREE dig for paid up members!!!

Secondly, the Sunday, will see us back again on new fields adjacent to the fields we'll be detecting on the Saturday. The Sunday dig is back to normal and will be a 'paid for dig'.

Remember though folks, due to Coronavirus the dig days are limited numbers hence one of the reasons we have put on two days of digging to ensure everyone gets a chance to unearth history.

On the subject of dig days... we are now getting somewhat back to normal and you'll start seeing digs posted up more frequently. However dig days will be limited numbers and for paid up members only. You'll also be expected to follow social distancing guidelines, where masks wherever appropriate and fill out your contact details for 'Track and Trace' purposes.

Moving on.... we are hoping we can start our monthly meetings back up from September. As for now we are NOT meeting but watch this space as we'll keep you updated.

Anyhow, see you all at the weekend folks! - pic below of the land we'll be on!

Latest News - July 2020

It's been a while! The LMDS Team hope you are all well during these unprecedented times, keeping safe from this terrible virus. This will certainly be a year we won't be forgetting any time soon.

So, what's happening? Well, we've been keeping an eye on the Government advice and as you know we have followed this advice. We know it's been tough but cancelling all digs was in the best interest of all parties. Put aside the legal side of things, we really needed to do our bit to protect ourselves, our families, key workers and of course our Country. We also had to abide by our landowners wishes too. We all had to do our bit! The good news is the lockdown is easing and so long as we continue to follow Government guidelines we are looking to host a dig ASAP.

On the subject of digs.... we are aware that everyone paid their membership and the only managed one or two digs before we had to go into lockdown. Whilst this was obviously beyond our control, we'd like to announce that we will beholding a FREE dig for all currently paid up members. The dig date is still TBC but naturally you folks will be the first to know.

Tony has had a major operation but the good news is, he's on the mend. Whilst Tony is resting up Nigel has recently spent the day driving around all LMDS permissions and unfortunately reported back that there are currently no fields suitable for us to detect on. Arable fields are still in crop and it's too dry and irresponsible to dig on permanent pasture. Have patience though because we've noticed some local fields (not ours) have been harvested already so it won't be long before something comes up.

Meetings - we wan't to get back to meeting up again ASAP. Again we'll keep you posted when the next meeting will be. As soon as Government advice allows us to do so we'll get something arranged.

To landowners - YES, we are still active and always welcome a change of scenery. Do you have land you'd be happy for us to detect? Is there an area of land you have which might hold a secret? Do you suspect the possibility of a down war plane somewhere in your field? Feel free to contact Tony, details at the top of this page.

Meeting organisers - We don't currently do 'Talks' to large groups but if you would like us to do a small display of metal detecting finds, again get in touch with Tony. If time allows, we're always happy to put a small stand of finds on display where your members can come up and have a chat with us.

New members - We are always open to new membership considerations. A the current time we aren't meeting up but if you are considering joining us send Tony an email and when we next meet you can join us for a chat and go from there.

For those lucky enough to have their own private permissions (and able to detect them) please post up your finds on our Facebook group. It's really nice to hear from you!

That's it for now. Keep checking the Facebook page for the most recent news and of course, stay safe!

Latest News - April/May

Well, it certainly is a challenging time isn't it! We hope you are all safe and well and of course sane at this difficult time.  

As you will no doubt be aware we are following the Government guidelines along with NCMD recommendations and as such all group digs are currently cancelled until further notice. 

We are keeping a close watch on Government announcements and will act accordingly when the time is is right and of course, safe before we start making arrangements to detect again. In the meantime please ensure your insurance is renewed. Usually March is the time both NCMD and FID undertake their renewals so now is a good time to get this done.

We understand memberships were paid shortly before the lock down and we only managed to get a few digs in. Your membership helps towards the gifts we give to landowners at Christmas which we believe is a valuable gesture to show our appreciation. Now, whilst the lock down is beyond our control we've decided that the next dig will be FREE for all paid members. So, as Tony says, keep them batteries charged and.... maybe it's also time to clean under that coil cover eh?!

As always, keep an eye on the Facebook group and of course, stay safe!

LMDS Team

Latest News - March v2

IMPORTANT - Please read!

Firstly, what a DIG! Those of you who braved the terrible weather were certainly rewarded as hammered coinage just kept popping up. Well done to those lucky, hard grafting finds but also to Tony and Nigel for working closely with the landowner to get us this dig. The picture below is just some of the coinage found. One lucky member found FIVE hammered coins! Well done!!!

Now some bad news I'm afraid. With the current climate surrounding the Coronavirus it's only sensible, for now, we postpone the next dig and also club meeting. To confirm, there will NOT be a dig on Sunday 22nd. The club meeting planned for April 2nd is also cancelled so DO NOT turn up expecting to see us all but of course don't let that stop you from ordering a pint ;)

Next Dig = TBC. Depending on the situation we may host a dig on 28/29th but further thought is required for this to go ahead but don;t be surprised if it doesn't. After all, the fields aren't going anywhere!!!

Next Club meeting = 7th May

Stay safe people and if you need to self-isolate there's a field out there somewhere I'm sure :)

Latest News - March

Well, March is here upon us already! Let's hope the weather picks up but I do know Tony is out looking at the fields almost as I type and thus I feel a dig is soon on the cards.

A big thank you to everyone who attended the March meeting. It was a great laugh. A big thanks to Barrow Conservative club for putting up with us once again but also for their generous contribution the Quiz winners (and to Charity), yes that's right, the quiz was a huge success, we're really glad you enjoyed it.

So, what about the last few digs eh!? Pretty good yes? I think on the last dig almost everyone found a roman coin or two, or three, four.... Well, keep your eyes peeled on the Facebook page as mentioned above Tony and Nigel will soon be announcing the next dig details although a birdie tells me it's looking likely to be next Sunday (15th).

The next meeting will be on Thursday 2nd April and at this stage we are trying to get a guest speaker or arrange for another quiz. For now, please keep this date free!!!

Latest News - February

Well, what a cracking start to February. Two digs back to back with some wonderful finds turning up. Our first dig was thanks to our new Landowner (you know who you are) so thank you for letting the LMDS club detect your land. Hopefully more history will be unearthed in the future. The second dig held yesterday was back on one of our established permissions of whom the landowner takes great interest in what we find so they will be pleased with our latest findings.

Our last two digs unearthed finds dating back to the Celts through to Roman, Medieval right up until modern day. Well done all you lucky finders. Let's hope our luck continues!

Moving on. Thank you to all those who attended the February Club meeting at Barrow. It was nice to see old and new faces. As you know it was membership renewal night with potential new members being considered (I trust you filled out the membership form). Those wishing to join will hear from the LMDS Team in due course but don't be surprised if we invite you to a few digs first as a guest before being fully accepted. I'm sure you can understand the reasons for doing so.

So, talking of digs... next dig date is likely to be weekend 22/23rd Feb but as always, keep an eye on the Facebook page!

Next meeting will be on the Thursday 5th March so please put that in you diary! I think the LMDS team are looking to host a quiz that night with some awesome prizes on offer.

For those needing to renew or obtain their insurance you can do so via: https://www.ncmd.co.uk/ 

If you would like to purchase a T-Shirt, Hoodie etc with new LMDS logo please contact Angela at https://www.facebook.com/jamboreecrafts/ and she'll take your order.

See you all soon!

Latest News - January v2

Well what a brilliant last dig. Patience certainly paid off on this dig. Plenty of signals with some lucky finders unearthing Celtic, Roman and Medieval coins and artefacts. Well done!

The next dig is subject to the weather conditions but we have some cracking new fields lined up. Keep looking at the Facebook page for an update.

Other good news, Tony has met with a new landowner who has given us the green light to detect over 1000 acres. There's plenty of news about this on the Facebook group. Fingers crossed, we can start searching the land shortly.

Remember - The club meeting is on THURSDAY  6th FEBRUARY and it's very important you attend to renew your membership!

See you all then!

Latest News - January 2020

WOW - What a start to the new year. The last few digs have been outstanding with us unearthing many pieces of days gone. One field in particular must have been a very place in the medieval through to Tudor eras as it gave up quite a few coins from those times. Well done to the lucky finders!!!

Dates to be aware of:

Next Dig will be (weather permitting) - Sunday 19th January

Next meeting - Thursday 6th Feb

MEMBERSHIP renewals are due at the February meeting. The cost is £30.

Please note: The membership fees are set aside to Landowners/Farmers in the event of low numbers and most importantly goes towards buying all our Landowners & Farmers drinks and Chocolates as a 'Thank You' at Christmas time.

If you are someone wishing to join the club this is the time to get in touch. Please contact Tony (details above).

See you all soon!

Latest News - Farewell 2019!

Well, time is nearly upon us to say good bye to 2019 and roll onto the next year. Let's hope the finds don't stop coming, just like our last dig where lucky finders unearthed a number of medieval coinage. I think 8 hammered coins were found along with the usual 'bits n bobs'. In fact, the dig almost turned into a coin shoot with the large quantity of coins being found from all eras.

REMEMBER - No CLUB MEETING this month as it's so close to the Christmas holidays. We'll meet up in February.

Also, we'll be sorting out club membership renewals at the Feb club meeting too so it's important that you attend.

Next dig is likely to be either 11th or 12th of January. Keep an eye on the Facebook group for further info.

Enjoy the rest of your Christmas and of course, Happy New Year Everyone!

See you all soon!

Christmas 2019 - Latest News

What a great week! Two digs and the Christmas Meeting. It's been busy alright!

Thank you to all those who participated in the raffle. We raised approx. £224 for charity - this is being added to other funds previously raised - total amount raised still tbc. It looks like it will be split between Help for Heroes and Marie Curie. Well done everyone!

Moving on... well done to those who found history at the last dig. The fields were a little quiet which was a surprise as we have been on the adjacent fields in the past and lots of finds appeared. Oh well, that's just how this hobby goes and it shows sometimes you have to be the lucky one to walk over it. That said, some lovely hammered coins popped up and one member was lucky to find his first hammered coin!

Right, the next dig will be Sunday 29th December. Keep an eye on the Facebook page for more details.

Have a great Christmas everyone!

December 2019 - Latest News

Well, what wonderful scenery we were privileged to detect at our last dig. Vast fields gave LMDS the opportunity to let the members detecting on a wide range of fields. Some were quiet and some we busy! Some lucky members went away with hammered coinage and oh, a silver thimble (sorry Tony).

We also found an area littered with Roman greyware pottery. The area was scanned and revealed three roman coins, a nice roman bracelet fragment and approx. 20 more sherds of roman pottery. This area certainly needs a revisit. The landowner is very happy to hear this news!!!

On top of this, the event was on a new permission which we think went very well with hole filling top notch - well done everyone!

Righto, next event is this Thursday 5th December. The LMDS CHRISTMAS MEETING. Its the from 7pm at the Barrow Conservative Club. Food is being laid one with a large buffet being provided. We have a raffle with a MASSIVE amount of prizes to be won. Jamboree Crafts run by Angela will be joining us. Angela can print T-Shirts, fleeces, Polo shirts, hats etc. She is printing our LMDS T-Shirts however can print anything! I you want to have your own T-Shirt designs printed or maybe need some custom work wear have a word with her on the night!

Next up is the RED HAT DIG. The fields have already been chosen and this one is NOT TO MISS! Undetected fields in an area which has produced Roman and medieval!!! The date is this SUNDAY 8th December. Check out the Facebook page for more details and to get your name down to dig!

That's it for now - see you Thurday folks!

November 2019 - Latest News pt.2

WOW! That last dig had a wonderful array of finds ranging from Roman, Medieval, Tudor upto recent times. The field was difficult to read and we're still unsure on on what occurred there however one things is for sure, pretty much everyone found something interesting. With patience the field was very lively with hammered coinage dating from Henry III right through to Charles I was unearthed. It was hard to  agree on what was the 'find of the day' but I think, because it's complete, it might just be the Medieval Sword Hanger! Well done to those lucky finders! A quick note to our wonderful landowners on this one. They are lovely people who take a great deal of interest in what we unearth and always keen to gain an understanding of what might just have occurred on their land - Thank you for having us! Pictures of some of the finds are in the image below!

Now, November has been busy and it's going to continue that way. We have a dig lined up for tomorrow (24th November) and we are hoping to have our Christmas Red Hat Dig on the 30th November. Please keep your eyes peeled on the Facebook group page for further info.

As for December, well, again it's going to be busy. We have our annual CHRISTMAS PARTY being held again at Barrow upon Soar Conservative Club on Thursday 5th December from 7pm. Please can you put this in your diary and don't forget, family IS welcome!

We'll have the Charity raffle taking place (Charity yet to be decided - last year it was for Help for the Homeless). Prizes are being donated as we speak from the Club itself (Thank You Tony & Nigel), Man v Field (Check out his wonderful YouTube channel) and our wonderful friends Nigel and Marcus from REGTON Ltd (enter code manvf at checkout for 10% discount) who have donated some wonderful items for you to have a chance of winning.

Also attending will be Jamboree Crafts run by our good friend Angela who can supply Hoodies, T-Shirts, Polo shirts, mugs etc with personalised logos, names etc which are idea if you want new workwear or want to design your own clothing - she can print it all.

Other Dig News - there are, weather permitting possible dig days in the pipeline for mid December and between Christmas and New Years so again, keep popping back to the Facebook page for more info.

Righto, that's it for now, see you all soon and as always, Good Luck Out There & Happy Hunting!

November 2019 - Latest News

A fairly steady month and for once nothing major to report but a big 'Well Done' to those lucky diggers on the last dig who managed to find silver, some of which was of the hammered variety and also a possibly Celtic coin!

Date for your diaries:

Sunday 10th November - Dig Day. Keep an eye out on the Facebook group page for more info soon.

Sat/Sunday (23rd and 24th November) is also likely to be a dig weekend but we'll confirm nearer the time.

Lastly, and most IMPORTANT, our Christmas Bash will be on December 5th at the usual venue from 7pm - please do try and make sure you can make it. More info to follow shortly.

October 2019 - Latest News

It's been busy and it's going to get busier! We have been fortunate with landing yet another new farm permission thanks to one kind member coupled with our great reputation through word of mouth. Our initial dig was certainly a hit with some great finds popping up for some lucky diggers. The area showed finds dating from modern way back to the roman times so obviously there is some history there. We will be re-visiting again as I think we've only just scraped the surface with this land.

It's with sad regret that Andy, our Secretary has decided to step down and pursue interests in other areas. LMDS will continue as normal but we'd like to thank Andy for his contribution towards making this a great club. His fountain of knowledge and banter will surely be missed. We wish Andy all the best for the future. 

Very shortly, Nigel and Tony will be visiting fields to check where we can dig next. Keep an eye on the Facebook page as it's likely to be Sunday 27th Oct!!!

See you all soon!

September and October 2019 - Latest News

Well that was a busy month! Multiple digs, great finds and great banter.

Firstly thank you to all who attended the last meeting and celebrated Tony's birthday. I think he had a sore head the next morning :)

The latest dig was an unknown quantity as we travelled further afield ('scuse the pun) to a new farm who recently invited us to search the land. Some good finds popping up including another hammered coin for one lucky member (two digs on the trot now) and also one member who recently joined the hobby finding their first coin - well done!

The new farm showed promise. A few roman coins were unearthed which could indicate the presence of a roman site somewhere close-by and we'eve been asked by many members if we can return to check out the other fields. Tony will be checking with the landowner shortly so as usual, keep an eye on the Facebook page for more info.

Are you a landowner? do you have a passion for history or simply curious to find out what/if anything historical may have once occurred on your land? Are you trying to locate a building that once stood in your fields? Or have you lost a previous item? If yes, and you'd be happy to have us search your land get in touch with Tony to find out how we can help each other enjoy fruits of this hobby. Details at the top of this page.

See you out there folks!

September 2019 - Latest News

Well, it has been busy hasn't it! Four digs on the trot and on new fields. Some have been more productive than others but that's what you get with new land - the unknown! But that's the fun about metal detecting, you never know what you're going to find. It cab be lead, a button, aluminium, another button, another piece of lead and then book - hammered coin!

Well done to the lucky finders on recent digs. We've seen roman and medieval coinage along with artefacts of all ages dating back to the bronze age!!! It's out there folks!

A big Thank You to Jed for another amazing talk and display on what the Romans did for us at our last meeting. It was a great turnout so thank you everyone for making the evening a great one.

Dig news... We have just secured another new farm. Tony will be visiting the fields over the next few weeks to see if we can arrange a dig.

On that note, the next dig is likely to be Sunday 29th September so get your batteries charged up.

See you all soon! 

August and September 2019 - Latest News

Well a quiet start to the August but it was nice to see a lot of members at the monthly meeting. Your attendance is really appreciated.

And, what about that last dig eh? Some cracking coins found. Well done to the lucky finders.

The next dig is technically September - yup that's right next dig IS this Sunday (1st Sept) so make sure you pop by the Facebook page to find out more details. Any non-members wishing to join or find out more please contact Tony (details above).

Right, lastly, Septembers monthly meeting will be on Thursday 5th so make sure you get there for 7pm. Again, any non-members wanting to find out more please contact Tony. And REMEMBER folks, we have a guest speaker attending to talk about "What did the Romans do for us?" so please make sure you get there early :)

GL and HH folks!

July 2019 - Latest News

Well, it's been a quiet few weeks but there's light at the end of the tunnel as farmers are starting to cut the grass and before you know it crops will start getting harvest. Keep an eye on our Facebook page for latest dig news!

Thank you to everyone who contributed and came along to our club meeting last night. The night went well with the raffle making nearly £70 for charity and also we said our goodbye and good luck to Wendy who is moving onto pastures new. Wendy has been fantastic as Leicestershire FLO and has also been supportive of our club. We wish her well but hopefully this isn't a 'goodbye' as we hope to see Wendy again in the future as she has offered to do some talks for us. What a star!

Right, so as stated keep an eye on the Facebook page for latest dig news and also set Thursday 8th August in your diaries for the next club meeting!

May 2019 - Early June - Latest News

Well, slow and steady has really paid off for some lucky members recently. With fields in short supply this time of year and the dry conditions to boot it's understandable that the finds rate has slowed a little. It happens every year as those with their own permissions are fully aware of.

However, that said, recent digs have seen items dating from Celtic, Roman, Medieval through to modern times all make an appearance with the odd bucket lister too so well done you lucky few!

Not much news at present. The LMDS crew are in contact with our landowners and farmers for the next dig so keep your eyes peeled on the Facebook page.

And REMEMBER......... next meetings is on Thursday July 4th so please booked that in your diary!

April 2019 - Latest News

Well done to all finders at the last dig! Some lovely coins popped up to which a special mention goes out to Chris for finding his first ever hammered, a nice one at that too! Well done chap :)

Finds dating from Roman, Saxon, Medieval through to medieval times made an appearance!

Next Dig TBC - keep an eye on the Facebook page.

Wendy will be at the next meeting to record your finds so please dust off any that haven't yet been logged. 

March 2019 - Latest News v3

Great weather brought great finds at the last dig. Finds ranged from Celtic, Medieval through to modern times and they were varied too. Coinage, everyday items and military related object made an appearance. Find of the day had to go to Dale for his Celtic Sword Pommel - well done all!

Thanks to all those who attended this months meeting. A reminder that Wendy, the Leicestershire FLO will be present at our next meeting so bring in your finds for recording!

Next dig tbc- keep an eye on the event appearing on our Facebook page!

And lastly, if you haven;t already, see Andy asap to sort out your membership. Time is ticking!

Have fun and stay safe!

March 2019 - Latest News v2

Well done to everyone who found interesting items at the recent dig. With a lot of fields in crop fields are in short supply at present. It was tough going on rough arable however some of you got lucky indeed! With finds dating from modern back through medieval to Roman times it was certainly a field with a varied history.

Next Dig is this weekend!!! So if you haven't signed up, do so asap via our Facebook page > Events tab.

REMEMBER, next club meeting will be on Thursday 4th April!

GL and HH!

March 2019 - Latest News

Well, what a cracking dig we had just recently. The weather was beautiful which made they day very relaxing and enjoyable. The usual finds popped up from Tudor through, Georgian and Victorian. I'm sure everyone found a button or two! The early Georgian era buckles were nice and helped us understand the use of the fields in more modern times. A few silvers popped up - Well done - you know who you are!

Hole filling was much improved and would have been an encouraging sight to any landowner so well done on maintaining our good reputation for respecting the land we are so fortunate to detect.

This months meeting was buzzing. It was nice to see new faces! Hopefully you have now all got your memberships in! If not, get in touch with one of the LMDS Team asap!!!

Big mention for Wendy Scott, our FLO, who attended to record our finds. I hope you kept her busy!

The next dig is likely to be weekend commencing 16th/17th March so keep an eye out on the Facebook page for further news!

Until next time.... Happy Hunting!

February 2019 - Latest News

What a great club meeting last night with good banter with a great bunch of people. Thank you to all turned up. It was nice to see a few new faces too! As you know it was membership renewal last night so appreciate the speedy form filling. Membership cards etc should be sorted for next meeting.

On that note, the next meeting is an IMPORTANT one. Not only is it membership and insurance collection (and payment of course) but we have a guest - Wendy Scott, our very own Leicestershire Finds Liaison Officer will be joining us so if you have any finds you'd like to get recorded or would like something to be ID'd then bring it along as Wendy will log on the night (yes you can take your finds home again). Let's have a good turn out for this one - it should be as it's been a while since Wendy popped over.

Also, at the next meeting we have a guest speaker so please arrive promptly to get the best seats!

Next Dig - Keep an eye out guys as Tony is looking to host a dig over weekend 16/17th Feb - actual date TBC so keep an eye on the Facebook page for confirmation.

More good news - Tony and Co. have visited two new farms who have given us the green light to detect. This is great news as you will all know so keep an eye out for new lands to play on shortly.

More news should be forthcoming shortly regarding the Victorian garden dig. Keep 'em posted people!

See you all soon!

January 2019 - Latest News v2

A good start to the year was had by many as our pasture dig brought up objects from the medieval period through to modern. One area threw up lots of Tudor era objects which clearly lent to the idea that a house once stood on a platform in one of the fields.

The majority of the finds were late Tudor, Georgian and Victorian era and were very deep. This indicated that older items were likely to be much deeper and out of range of most detectors. That said some people were lucky enough to find Medieval coins and as always, we were out in the fresh air so that's a bonus!

• Remember, next dig will be on Sunday 20th Jan.
• Next meeting will be Thursday 7th Jan, 7:15 as usual.

Peter Liddle is doing a talk at Melon Carnegie Museum on Wed 16th Jan on the Dark Ages. Well worth going. £5 on the door. See Melton Carnegie Museum Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/558296211026033/ to book a place.

Happy digging!

January 2019 - Latest News

Happy New Year Everyone!

Welcome to the start of another history hunting new year which from the sounds of it will likely to be even more exciting than 2018! How can that be so!

Well, Tony and Co. have been contacted via this web page by three new landowners all wanting us to search their land. One is very exciting being situated in and around a very medieval village. We've been tasked to try and find the original village so things should get interesting.

Before I mention the last dig, here's some dates for your diaries...

Friday 4th Jan - Dig Day - check Facebook group for details

Next dig will be Sunday 20th Jan - details will posted asap on the FB page.

Next meeting (useful for potential new members to pop along) will be Thursday 7th Feb.

Right, moving on... the last dig day was pretty special and a lot of people found history alright!!! The image below shows just some of the items that popped up. Items from Roman, Saxon medieval through to the Victorian era all made an appearance even a silver thimble that still eludes Tony to this day. A couple of special mentions to Makka who bagged a lovely gold medieval coin and also to Jim on finding his first ever hammered coin. Well done everyone!

See you on the next dig!

Darren

December 2018 - Latest Dig News

A tough but rewarding day out at our last dig. Some lucky people went away with a hammered or roman coin. Lots of modern popped up and to top it off a lovely, personal, medieval seal.

Next dig will be Saturday 29th so keep an eye out on the Facebook page for more information.

Have a great Christmas everyone!

December 2018 - Latest News v2

A great night was had by all at our Christmas bash. Well done to all raffle winners and of course the table winning the Quiz.

Next dig is Sunday 16th December. It's the RED HAT DIG so if you have a Santa hat bring it along. Be sure to check out our Facebook group for the event and signup asap.

And lastly, from the LMDS Team, have a great Christmas everyone!

December 2018 - Latest News

It's that festive time of the year again, whoohoo!

We have our Christmas club meeting on Thursday 6th December at 7.30pm with food laid on along with Red and White wine so please arrive promptly.

The annual Red Hat Dig looks likely to be our next dig and will be held on 16th December. If you have a red Santa hat please bring it along!

LMDS has been invited to dig a Victorian garden by a local charity. We're looking for volunteers therefore please respond to Tony's post on the Facebook page for further details.

Buttons League. Just for fun! Please let Darren know your button count for the last dig via Facebook so he can update the league table.

November 2018 - Latest Dig News

Well the last dig seemed to be a coin and spindle whorl day with many silvers popping up. The odd roman coin was found and with more new fields to check out in the area who knows what lies beneath!

November 2018 - Latest News

A quiet month so far but that's about to change!

• Next dig is Sunday 25th. Please check and respond to the dig event on the Facebook group page, direct link https://www.facebook.com/events/1388770494591728/ .
• LMDS has been invited to dig a Victorian garden by a local charity. We're looking for volunteers therefore please respond to Tony's post on the Facebook page for further details.
  
  
• Next meeting, on the 6th December we'll be having a quiz. So, sharpen your knowledge surrounding the births, deaths and marriages of British rulers! Based on teams of 3-4, prizes will be awarded to the winning team including free dig passes!
  
  
• Also, also, there will be a buffet laid on for all members so please put this date in your diary and come along!
  
  
• Lastly, look out for the annual 'Red Hat Dig'. The day will no doubt bring the usual fun but also some surprises.

October 2018 - Latest Dig News

Following on from our monthly meet it was decided to re-visit some fields that had produced Roman, Saxon and medieval artefacts in the past.

With three fields to choose from finds once again popped up from various periods although Roman and Saxon eluded us this time. Instead a varied collection of finds appeared mainly from the medieval period to modern day.

One of our guests was extremely lucky to find three medieval coins and fine ones they are too! 

The light hearted button league table is now in full flow. Who will be the button champion of 2018? Those who are registered members can keep track via our Facebook page.

September 2018 - Latest Dig News v2

Another very busy dig as had and it wasn't for the faint of heart.  lively field revealing all sorts of finds mainly from Medieval through to modern day with the odd roman coin a single fibula brooch making an appearance.

Well done to Chris who found the gold ring on his Birthday of all days!!!!!!

REMEMBER - Club Meeting Night is upon us so hopefully see you at the club on Thursday 4th October.

September 2018 - Latest Dig News

Well, a varied day was had by all. Weather decided to be kind to us as a we explored two fields, one of which was new and the other that had revealed finds going back to the roman era on a previous dig.

Again, one field popped up a few roman coins, four hammered coins (one Scottish!) and the usual bits  whilst the new field revealed finds from the medieval period through to the Victorian era.

Our farmers were extremely happy at the organisation and how we conducted ourselves even commenting on superb hole filling. Well done all!

August 2018 - Latest Dig News

Well it's been a quiet month needing a lot of patience whilst the hot weather brings early harvest. Ground conditions in this unusually dry weather we've been having does appear to be having a negative effect on signals with them drying up like the soil. That said, mid-August saw us dig on lovely soft stubble with finds varying from Roman, Saxon up to modern day. 

New land has landed on our doorstep thanks to the work of the the LMDS Team so keep any eye out on the Facebook page for up-to-date dig news.

July 2018 - Monthly Meeting

The July meeting saw LMDS receive a talk from Leicestershire and Rutland FLO, Wendy Scott who elaborated on the Treasure process, the PAS scheme and some interesting finds logged on the PAS database. Thank you Wendy!

The raffle raised £37 which has gone to local charity 'Home for Heroes'.

Well done to the winners who received a free dig, bottle of whiskey and a bottle of Vodka.

The winner of the 'Guess how many coins' competition was Chris Dexter who receives a free dig!

And lastly, thank you Roman for the pictures :)

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