Wiltshire Young Farmers Show

For the last few years we have put on a display when the Wiltshire Young Farmers have their day. This gives us a chance to show our finds, and for farmers to see first hand what we do. We always get a lot of interest and many questions throughout the day.

Every year is different, some good, some not so good. Last year it was held in Devizes on a very good farm, nice and easy to get to and we had been allocated a very good pitch for our large gazebo, right in the middle of things. It was a pity it rained. No, let me explain it didn’t rain it poured down from 8am until we called it a day at 4pm!!  

Practically nobody ventured out of the barns and sheds to look at the displays because if they had they would have been soaked.

This is Tony our Chairman finding a new use for his detector, trying to keep the rain out while we set up last year. He needn’t have bothered as we didn’t see that many dry people all day.

April 08 -
It was a typical day in April when we set up our large gazebo getting ready for the crowds.

About ten members turned up to help,its not everybody’s thing to talk and explain about the different items on show. There's always lots of questions to answer on just about anything that might or might not be on the table.

As normal it was in a different part of Wiltshire from last year but the farms that are used are always  dependent on the goodwill of the farmers to host the event.

This year was completely different from last it was warm and sunny all day. Once the visitors started to arrive they showed real interest in the displays, and asking questions about the various items.

  The lull before the storm, Tony and Nigel going over some last minute important details, of what to have for breakfast before the visitors arrive.  

We had some eyes only finds, fossils which are a mere 200 Million years old. These are Gastropods and other later fossils.

  Then the finds on the tables went right through from the bronze age items into the Iron age. Celtic coins and artefacts were also prominent.  

The display of the coins and Artefacts of the Roman period led straight into the Saxon bits. 

(Its called the Early Medieval now), but they were called Saxon when I was at school, but that was a long time ago.  

Also included were items representing virtually all the periods of British history.

The displays also included the Penny’s farthings tanners, two bob bits, and half crowns  that came from a time not so long ago. 

Also on show were the records that we receive when we record our finds on the National database. This is called the Portable Antiquities scheme (PAS) for short. 

There is a link to this scheme, from this site, and there you can look up any item that has been found and recorded, and find out about it. 

These days showing what we have found and what we do with the finds , is very important to us, as its only by showing the items, and making ourselves known to the farmers their families, and other visitors, can we show ourselves to be responsible and trustworthy.   

It also gives us a great deal of pleasure to talk about our hobby  to people who are genuinely interested in what we find, and how we go about it. 

All these items we find with our metal detectors, this is a hobby that holds a lot of people in its grip, just with the thought of what your next find will be. Roman, Saxon, Gold, Silver, Rubbish, a Victorian penny, or a Bronze age axe. You never know. Just the bits and pieces we find all the time.

Although generally the numbers attending the show were low it proved to be a successful day for the club and everyone who attended enjoyed it once we got making the tea organised.