Examining Ashley's archaeological finds

Ashley mentioned that he was giving a talk about the archaeological finds he has made over the years at their farm near Bisley. I often mention Stancombe Beech Farm shop which is where they sell some of their produce. I’ve known the family for many years and they kindly let me wander about their fields and land with a camera, and the shop sells some of my photo cards.

I drove to the village hall in Bisley where the local Women’s Institute were having their monthly meeting, with Ashley as their guest speaker, on the theme of 50 years of digging up the past. Ashley started by explaining how he became interested in archaeology, which was before he became a farmer. His father, Jim, a fourth generation local farmer, bought some land to start a new farm after the second world war, which they have gradually expanded over the years. 

It turned out that the first field he bought was the site of a small Roman farm, and of course Ashley was in his element every time the rains washed newly ploughed earth. He has made a wide range of finds from many Neolithic and Mesolithic (up to 10,000 year old) flints in the form of axe and arrow heads, none of which would have been sourced locally, to more recent Roman remains. These included brooches, beads, pottery, tiles and even lead objects used for repairing holes in their clay pots. We saw a beautiful Roman era decorated dark glass bead, which is of Syrian origin. A variety of Roman coins with various Emperor’s heads covered the last three centuries of the Roman rule, which was quite extensive in this part of England. Later finds included musket shot as well as flints strikers used to ignite the gun’s powder.

After the talk we were invited to examine and touch all the objects which was fascinating. I liked this picture of one of the local residents looking at them. I’ve added an ‘Extra’ of Ashley showing a photo of the glass bead from Syria which I thought was particularly beautiful.