The Cambridge Ale Jug

Imogen Gunn, Collections Manager, MAA With over 80% of finds on the e Portable Antiquities Scheme database finds.org.uk being recorded by metal detectorists, this talk is an opportunity to meet a group of local metal detectorists, all with a keen interest in history and the local landscape, whose hobby of metal detecting builds this database of knowledge. The talk will be given by a number of group members and will focus on who they are, what they do and showcase some of the finds they have made. The emphasis will also be on the different approach we have to landowner engagement and how different we are from detectorists on organised digs. There will be a mixture of slide presentations, a finds table to discuss some of the items, a quiz to test your finds identification skills and a practical hands on opportunity to use some of the latest metal detecting equipment. Speaker Biography Jon Parsons is Peterborough based with an interest in local history. In previous years this has been in natural history and he has recorded many of the special ancient trees in the area on a national database. More recently he has taken up metal detecting to give an additional insight into local history. Matt Tebbutt comes from a small village in Northamptonshire that he has spent several years investigating its history, specifically trying to identify its proposed lost roman heritage. He has been detecting for 6 years and in that time has helped record and save some amazing history. Together with a small group of local friends with an interest in local history, they have gained permission to detect land from a range of local landowners, from Parish councils (Castor, Ailsworth, Yarwell and Stilton) to farmers and the Burghley House estate. Their permission is always based on a contract stating the landowner is the owner of all finds, the group are simply interested in researching the finds made and understanding how they fit into the rich history of the area. The group are all members of the National Council for Metal Detecting (NCMD), which gives them public liability insurance and they follow the NCMD code of conduct.They have a very good relationship with our two local finds liaison officers, and now have over 100 finds entered on the Portable Antiquities Scheme finds.org.uk database between them. A selection of recent finds can be seen on Jon’s social media pages https://www.facebook.com/mr.jon.parsons and https://www.instagram.com/jonrparsons/