Summary of finds - 1999-2000:

The survey found 39 Roman coins and 7 Roman brooches. We also found a Celtic strap/harness connector of the mid 1st century AD. The earliest coins were two gold staters of the Corieltauvi, from the late 1st C. BC to early 1st C. AD; these were well-preserved, one being of AVN COST type and the other of South Ferriby type. Another early Roman coin was a silver denarius of Marcus Aurelius, AD 161-180, also well-preserved. Apart from a silver siliqua of Julian II, AD 360-363, the great majority of the coins were bronze coins from the 3rd-4th C. AD. Among these we identified coins from the Constantine era (AD 307-340), two coins from the Magnentius period (AD 350-353), a coin of the Eastern emperor Valens (AD 364-378), barbarous radiates from the late 3rd C. AD, and a number where the Emperor could not be identified but the reverse showed common patterns issued during the first half of the 4th C. AD, such as a camp gate, a votive altar, and two soldiers holding a standard.

The remaining coins were poorly preserved and could not be accurately identified, but their size and thinness were typical of Roman coinage produced during the late third century through to the middle of the 4th century.

The 7 Romano-British brooches and brooch fragments were all from the early part of the Roman occupation, from the 1st and 2nd C AD. They were of various types.

A single annular brooch was dated to the 6th century.

Only five coins were recovered from later eras. They were:-a silver cut penny of Henry III (1216-1272), three silver shillings of Elizabeth I (1560-1603), a silver sixpence of James I (1603-1625).

The most frequent non-coin findings were 10 musket balls of various types from 17th-19th century, and crotal or rumbler bells (for livestock) from the late 17th to early 19th centuries.


Summary of finds from 2004:

9 coins: a silver denarius of Faustina Senior, wife of Antoninus Pius - AD 138 to 192, a silver denarius of the Roman emperor Geta - AD 200 to 202, a Roman brass coin (Dupondius) - coins in use from 1st Century to AD 260, a Roman silvered bronze coin (Nummus) - AD 330-335, five bronze coins typical of 4th C. AD, one with two soldiers standing.

Other Romano-British artefacts were a standard enamelled Roman bronze ring of the second century AD, an amphora-shaped Roman strap-end (or perhaps a votive) of 3rd-4th C. AD, and a bronze artefact which is unidentified and undated, but probably Roman.

They found a few from the medieval/Tudor period:- a 14th century pendant seal featuring a stag's head, a religious pendant seal of 15th to early 16th C., a decorative mount for leatherwork from 15th-17th C., and an Elizabeth I half groat 1582-1602. The remainder were miscellaneous coins and artefacts from 17th-20th C.


Summary of finds from 2012:

This examination revealed another 15 coins most of which were from the 3rd-4th C. AD. These included:
a silver siliqua (Julian) from AD 360-363, a bronze coin of Valentinian I (AD 364-375 ), a bronze coin of Constantine II (AD 317-337 ), two bronze "radiate head" types (late 3rd C), a bronze coin featuring Victory on the reverse (AD 330-337), a bronze coin featuring Gloria (Glory of the Army) (AD 330-335). The other eight coins were greatly worn and unidentified, but were of a size and thinness typical of the
Roman coins produced during the late third century through to the middle of the 4th century.

We found 5 Roman brooches, including a trumpet-style and two dolphin style brooches typical of the 1st C. AD , a dolphin-style brooch of 1st-2nd C. AD, an enamelled oval plate brooch (copper alloy) of
AD 150-300 , and a brooch fragment of 1st-2nd C. AD.

Noteworthy finds from later eras were were a hammered silver penny of Edward I (1306-1307), a 14-15th century decorated fitting, a 16th century spectacle buckle, a George II halfpenny (1729-1754), a
George III halfpenny (1799), and musket balls from the 17th and 18th century.

Pottery shereds were also recovered.


Summary of finds from 2013:

The oldest find was a Celtic silver unit of the Corieltauvi tribe, dating from about 30 BC. We found a further 17 Romano-British coins, including:- a silver siliqua of Gratian, with reverse showing "ROMA" (AD 367-383), a quarter silver siliqua (AD 362-410), a Valentinian, with reverse showing Gloria Romana dragging a captive by the hair (AD 364-375), a Gratian coin, with reverse showing a labarium resting on a shield (AD 367-378), a Constantine coin, of Constantinopolis type (AD 330-337), a bronze coin with two soldiers standing on the reverse (AD 330-335), a bronze coin featuring one soldier standing on the reverse (AD 335), an unidentifiable large coin of 3rd C. AD.

The remaining coins were too poorly preserved for accurate identification and dating, but were of a size and thinness characteristic of those produced during the late third century through to the middle of the 4th century.

Also found were parts of five Roman brooches, all from the 1st or 2nd century AD. The earliest was of early European style; the others included two of trumpet-style, one of dolphin style, and one a broken end piece of Langton Down style. There was also a lozenge-shaped brooch, possibly Roman.

There were few significant findings from later eras, the most significant being an Elizabeth I hammered
threepence (1566) and an Elizabeth I hammered half groat, 6th issue (1582-1600). There was also a clothing fastener of the 15th or 16th century.


On every occasion of metal detecting survey across the years, they found artefacts made of lead. Most common were musket balls from the 17th and 18th centuries, lead weights of various patterns and sizes, lead bag seals and tokens, and lead spindle whorls. Although lead has been used since before Roman times, most of the lead artefacts we found were likely to be from 14th -19th century.


Summary of finds from adjacent fields:

In area A, adjacent to the western margin of the Owl's Nest field, they found the following:-4 Roman copper alloy nummus 3rd-4th century AD, a Roman As (coin) 1st-2nd century AD, a decorated lead spindle whorl (to be dated).

In area B, they found the following:- a Roman dolphin style brooch c. 1st century AD, Roman copper alloy nummus of Constantine II 317-337 AD (Camp Gate Design), Roman copper alloy nummus 3rd-4th Century AD, Roman brooch, dolphin style 1st century AD, Roman copper alloy nummus (oval shaped) 3rd-4th century AD and 10 lead weights of various sizes and shapes (to be dated).

In area C, they found the following:- part of an Iron Age linch pin c. 50 BC - AD 50, a crowned letter I signet ring 14th-15th Century, Edward VI silver shilling 1551-1553 and three interesting lead weights (to be dated).

South Nottinghamshire Field Detectives, 2013, Owls Nest Field Survey. Wheatcroft Farm, Keyworth, Nottinghamshire. (Unpublished document). SNT5427.