Tag: #NaturalEngland

Finds Day – Saturday 15th October

Have you ever found something, maybe from simply walking in fields, gardening or metal detecting?

Finds Day is an exciting FREE special event taking place at Beaminster Museum from 10am on Saturday, 15th October.  An opportunity for you to bring along your archelogical find and have it/them identified and recorded by Dorset Council’s Finds Liaison Officer, Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen.

The Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) is a voluntary scheme to record archaeological objects found by the public. If recorded, these finds have the potential to tell us much about the past, such as how and where people lived and about the types of objects they made and used. The PAS only want to record information about your finds, not retain them, so they will give your finds back once recorded unless they are classed as Treasure.

Archaeologist Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen (pictured) says there is a procedure that the finders need to follow.
“If it falls into the category covered by the Treasure Act then it needs to be reported to the coroner. That needs to happen within fourteen days. Then it goes through a long process of assessment and we find out whether a museum wants it. If they do, it goes to an inquest with the coroner. A specialist report will decide whether it fits the criteria for treasure. Broadly, objects have to be over 300 years old and more than 10% precious metal,” she explained to Alfred’s Keri Jones in an interview when she visited Shaftsbury in March.

“I don’t just record metal objects, I recall pottery, flint, tile, clay pipe and all sorts of things that come off the land. I’m keen to see everything. When people find the treasure, they often bring me the other things that they find on the same field to see if it is associated. It’s something we have to consider with treasure in particular.”

A drop-in event, there’s no need to book an appointment but you may have to queue.

Hosted by Beaminster Museum.


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Horn Park Quarry Open Day – Sunday, 31st July

Horn Park Quarry is the UK’s smallest National Nature Reserve (NNR) and is recognised for its exceptional in-situ fossils, dating from the Jurassic of 170 million years ago, when this area was a warm tropical sea.  Horn Park Quarry Nature Reserve does not allow free public access and their last Open event was in 2019…

On Sunday, 31st July, from 10.00 – 15.45hrs you have the opportunity to visit this area.

Tickets are FREE but must be pre-booked on a 45-minute timeslot basis to help them manage the flow of people throughout the day. There is a 30-minute gap between booking slots to allow cars to enter and leave the limited on-site parking bays available.

The Open Day is a chance to explore the site, speak to on-hand experts and get involved with some of the activities happening on the day, pitched at a range of ages and levels of knowledge.
Children’s activities, magnifying glasses, displays of fossils and a portaloo are available, however no refreshments – so please bring your own!

Please click this link … HERE to book a timed slot.

Please note the following instructions:

  • All children must be supervised at all times.
  • The site has uneven and unstable ground in places and there are loose rocks and piles of rocks scattered. Take care especially not to trip on rocks or on uneven ground.
  • The edge of the quarry near the security fence has a sheer drop in places and rock layers near the fossil box have unstable edges. Be aware of this, stay well away from the edge of the quarry and take extra care when walking around the fossil box and uneven or ‘stepped’ rock layers.
  • There is a steep quarry face and grass bank at the back of the quarry – no-one is allowed to access this.
  • People should keep away from the security fence; it can have sharp edges and could trap little fingers.
  • No hammers please.
  • Please wear sturdy shoes; flip-flops or high heels are not suitable. The site can be slippery when the surface is wet; please bear this in mind at all times.

The reserve is managed by Natural England, in association with the Jurassic Coast Trust. A permanent exhibition of specimens from the site is at Beaminster Museum.


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