The Accidental Detectorist: Uncovering an Underground Obsession

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I love the fact that this book weaves in the history of different areas with the finds that people have made and describes a typical day out with other detectorists. I loved reading about the rallies and it has inspired me to see if there is a local group near to me. Charting his course from utter novice to “one of the crew”, Nigel describes his tentative steps into the hobby, which seems for him to be as much about seeking a sense of identity and belonging — following all the upheavals and upsets of Brexit followed by the pandemic — as it does about buried treasure. Really well written giving an in depth insight into the world of metal detecting from the perspective of a sceptical beginner. Who then becomes a hook line and sinkered adherent of the detectorist divining god, aka as his machine. If you have seen the Detectorists on TV you will be familiar with the sort of characters who pop up like mud covered grots throughout the book. If you are hovering on the edge of a middle age hobby hole , or just like the idea of being a Detectorist then this book is worthy of a read. Memorable experiences, rooted in landscape and history, could be had in objectively unremarkable places — on the A1, a road I know well, for example.”

The Accidental Detectorist by Nigel Richardson - Audible UK The Accidental Detectorist by Nigel Richardson - Audible UK

Loved it. Superbly written account of the world of metal detecting. So many brilliant anecdotes. Will be hard to beat as my Non-fiction book of the year. There is discussion about the value of the finds, both monetarily and historically, and how there is sometimes a disconnect between the priorities and values of detectorists and others. What is more important, monetary value or the story told by finds? A few weeks later he retrieved his new machine from where it was hidden behind the wheelie bins. He was starting on a journey that he never ever thought that he would take. I found this book interesting, fascinating and very informative. It was interesting to read how Covid-19 altered this travel writer’s journey in life. Forced to stay in the UK, journalist and writer Nigel Richardson started metal detecting. I would love to be able to do metal detecting too, as I have always been fascinated by looking for treasures. I love going to Whitby, Scarborough and Spurn Point on Yorkshire coast looking for fossils. It is amazing and so peaceful just walking and dreaming of what treasures could be found. The possibilities are endless, and that’s what makes metal detecting so interesting I think.If you've ever watched Detectorists, or hankered to find treasure with a metal detector, you're automatically going to be intrigued and entertained with this book. This all piqued my own interest in my local area in North Essex. I went onto the finds.org.uk database and typed in Layer Marney, the name of the village where I live. My house is less than a mile from Layer Marney Tower, England’s tallest Tudor gatehouse, so surely there is treasure in these parts? The database has five finds listed, including this beautiful hammered coin. In the local parish of Messing cum Inworth where I grew up, there are finds from Iron Age, Roman, Medieval and Post Medieval times. We are but a stone’s throw from Colchester or Camulodunum to call it by its Roman name as it is the UK’s oldest recorded city. Boudicca and her armies once razed it to the ground. On the database are many Roman coins in the area, perhaps borne by those fleeing her persecution. I shall walk the local footpaths with a new fascination for what may lie under my feet and the people who walked these fields in years gone by. It’s particularly poignant this week. Today Charles the third will be proclaimed King, as we pass from the Elizabethan age into the Carolean age. History in the making. There are things below the surface that pull people together in a shared love of history, landscape and the hope that, this time, something incredible will be unearthed. As a history and archaeology fanatic, I do feel I should tell you where I stand on metal detecting before I share my book review, I know it can be a touchy subject within our community! One man's accidental journey into uncovering Britain's underground obsession. A fascinating and engaging tale of metal detecting history and Britain for fans of The Detectorists.

The Accidental Detectorist: The Adventures of a Reluctant Metal The Accidental Detectorist: The Adventures of a Reluctant Metal

Before he knows it the mysteries of the fields are leading him on, into a world that casts the history of these isles and its people in an intriguing new light. I have really enjoyed this book because it’s a hobby that I would like to do. The story was easy to follow and you could feel that the author was gaining experience through the chapters using the detector. I also enjoyed information about the different hoards found in the UK. An audiobook for my commute to work. A great little tale about a hesitant journalist's foray into the world of detectorists. For obvious reasons, many a nod to The Detectorists TV show but also some very interesting facts about several detectorist led finds and information for would be detectorists also. Soon the author is hooked on this hobby and as restrictions lift, he begins to travel to different parts of the county and country to meet others, learn more and attempt to find a hammered coin.I learned a lot and enjoyed the stories about metal detectoring. I found it fascinating and liked the style of writing and the storytelling. Searchers, seekers, hobbyists, all of them falling captive to the allure of the hunt - once unearthed a journey that seems to find its own path - and one which, for the author, is an unmistakably compelling one. Finding himself in the process, as, over the course of one year (outlined in this book), he grows from awkward novice to a devotee embedded in a close-knit community of, some would say, oddballs, but really more aptly described as dopamine-linked journeymen (for this band of brothers is by-and-large male). I loved read about different treasures, different areas for treasure hunting, as well as about the authors finds. I also loved seeing photos of the various items the author has found. What an interesting book! I have had a bit of an obsession with metal detecting since I was a child and loved reading stories about treasure hoards and ancient items being found. Although, what I once thought was a treasure box was actually a baking tray!