TWO ‘high status’ historic pieces of silver jewellery, found in a field in the Lamphey area by a Pembroke Dock metal detectorist, were declared treasure by HM Coroner for Pembrokeshire Mark Layton last week.

The inquest into two finds, made by Steven Richards of Pennar, was held last Thursday morning at Milford Haven’s town hall.

The two separate finds, a silver brooch believed to date back as far as the 13th or 14th Century, and a silver Bodkin-type pin, believed to date from the 17th Century, were made on cultivated farm land in late 2012.

Speaking after the decision, finder Steven Richards, website officer for the Pembrokeshire Prospectors Society metal detecting club, said: “The finds are not linked historically and would have been lost in different times in history - the silver brooch buckle is Medieval, 13th - 14th century and may have been used to hold a garment into place such as a lady's veil. While the silver bodkin pin is 17th Century, about the time of Oliver Cromwell, the bodkin would have been used for repair work on clothing and leather.

“I was told by Mark Lodwick, the Finds Liaison Officer at Cardiff Museum, that both are classed as high status finds, and would have belonged to persons of wealth.

“It is not often that finds like these get unearthed by myself, but when they do it is a great thrill when you realise what you have found and truly a moment to savour.

“People do not realise that all too often, we go out all day metal detecting in all kinds of awful weather, only to be rewarded with tiny bits of lead, shotgun cartridges and ring pulls from tins.”

He finished: “I would be very pleased to see my finds go to a Pembrokeshire museum.”