Treasure hunter finds 700-year-old ring in Flintshire field[UK]

Evening Leader ^ | 26 Feb 2009 | Evening Leader

[BGHater]

A TREASURE hunter has unearthed a 14th-century silver ring at the back of a farmer's field in Flintshire. Douglas Fletcher, 44, of Flint, found the decorative, gilt, 97 per cent silver ring in the field in his home town, in January last year.

At an inquest in Flint yesterday, the find was declared treasure by John Gittins, deputy coroner for north east Wales.

Mr Fletcher, who has been treasure hunting for three years with wife Linda, came across the ring on one of his regular solo hunts.

The Mold Historical Search Society member had to dig just six inches into the ground after his hi-tech metal detector detected the treasure.

Speaking at the inquest, Mr Fletcher said: "My metal detector is based on pitch and when a high pitch sounds, like it did on that day, it's a very good signal.

"I remember that the ring was broken but that the other piece was hanging on by a thread, so I put it in my find pouch, to show it to the club. I didn't have a clue that it would be actual treasure."

Farm owner David Roberts, who now shares ownership of the ring, called the find 'unexpected' as the land on which it was found had been ploughed several times in previous years.

A report from curator of archaeology at the National Museum Wales, Dr Mark Redknapp dated the ring back to the 1300s and analysed it as treasure due to the high quantity of precious metal in the ring.

Since the find, the ring has been in the possession of experts at the National Museum Wales, Mr Fletcher says he will now liaise with Flintshire's museums service after they expressed an interest in it.

Mr Fletcher told the Evening Leader: "I just hope that the museum will want to keep the ring and restore it – I want this piece of Flintshire history to stay where it belongs."

[BGHater]

Bling ping.

[Thrownatbirth]

I want this piece of Flintshire history to stay where it belongs.

What if Helen Thomas asks for it back?

[SolidWood]

Uh oh... the ring to rule them all?

[ArrogantBustard]

No ... The One Ring wouldn’t have corroded like that.

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

It's not the One Ring, it's the Other Ring.

[ArrogantBustard]

The Other Ring ...

Yeah. Sauron's first attempt. Obviously didn't work out quite as well ...

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

Even evil, maniacal geniuses sometimes don't get it right the first time.

[llevrok]

And so at the inquest, the Sheriff of Nottingham seized the ring, declaring it a treasure while serfs were ordered back to their fields.

The End.

[mysterio]

Wow, the British government won't let a citizen even keep a ring that they find?

I'm all for Indiana Jones and "it belongs in a museum" and all, but seriously.

[a fool in paradise]

Even evil, maniacal geniuses sometimes don't get it right the first time.

[a fool in paradise]

And when will the Royal museum be returning the Egyptian trinkets?

[llevrok]

And when will the Royal museum be returning the Egyptian trinkets?

Has the stone of Scotland been returned yet too? Damn Blighty!

[SunkenCiv]

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[HowlinglyMind-BendingAbsurdity]

[rdl6989]

Lol!