On Detectorists And Detecting, A Beautiful Romance, Local Politics, And A Great Evening At The Framlingham Wine Shop

We've been getting back into the swing of Framlingham life after our fortnight in Scotland. We'll be heading back to Fife for Christmas so it was great news to hear that the Forth Road Bridge is likely to be closed :( . After two weeks away our fitness had taken a bit of a dive so we got stuck back into the excellent exercise classes at Fram Leisure. I've done nine classes this week and Marion has done plenty too. Some of the classes are undersubscribed so, if you are in or around Framlingham, do check them out. We've got some excellent instructors and the classes are great value for money.

The regular exercise classes meant that we could go to the monthly wine tasting at The Framlingham Wine Shop on Wednesday with a clear conscience and check out Richard and Sarah's latest offerings accompanied by some tasty cheese and some good company. We had a great evening and ordered a nice mixed case of wine for the festive season.

On Thursday evening we attended a fairly acrimonious Town Council meeting in which the local residents' association (of which we are members) was accused by the chairman of being a trouble making protest group. This did not go down too well with the public (many of whom were also members) and the meeting ended with the chairperson making a dramatic resignation speech, removing her badge of office and leaving the room. A very un-festive meeting. (And we though we were retiring to a quiet unexciting little town). 

This week's movie Carol was set in the festive season in 1952. Starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara as two women strongly attracted to each other at a time when such things were not spoken about, it's a tender, powerful and beautifully filmed movie with outstanding performances from the two lead characters. This is a romantic classic up there with Brief Encounter and will melt the heart of even the most ardent homophobe. 

Another tender and beautifully filmed story with two outstanding lead characters finished this week.

Being a detectorist myself and living in Framlingham where it was filmed you might think I am being biased but The Times' Andrew Billen shared my view and gave it a rare five stars. It was a wonderful series with so many perfect moments. Undersized Toby Brown with his oversized metal detector, a trampoline rolling down a hill with a mad farmer in pursuit on a quad bike and Lance and Andy's "gold dance" were but a few of the moments of pure treasure that filled this whimsical and extraordinary series. Mackenzie Crook is casting doubts on there being any more episodes. I do hope he changes his mind. At least there's definitely a Christmas special to look forward to.

The Wonderful gold dance finale.

Andy and Lance head into Framlingham

As one of those detectorists (described by Lance as solitary creatures who swarm. together in herds for rallies), I have been taking advantage of the continuing unseasonal weather and had three hours in the fields on Friday. Here's what turned up.

This is what I tipped out of the finds bag. "Hot rocks and grots" as Andy might say.

Lots more lead to go in the lead scrap bin (which will soon be too heavy to lift)

Certainly a "grot" but the 28th hammered coin I've found this year. It's a Medieval silver penny.

I was delighted when someone told me there was something similar to this Medieval piece on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database.

Sadly it's unidentified

I've a horrible feeling that this scrap of silver may be defined as "Treasure" which means a lot of form filling

This was my favourite find of the day. It's a cloth seal with the arms of Haarlem in Holland. It dates to the late 16th or early 17th century.

Reverse

                           

Not all finds were old. Here's a Victorian sixpence dated 1866.

If the weather continues like this I may get another chance to go out before Christmas. Maybe I will get the hammered coin total up to thirty for the year (it was over forty last year).

And, by the way, Detectorists didn't have just great scripts, acting, locations and filming, the theme was pretty much perfect too.