Local Heroes Save the Day: A Case for the Metal Detectives

From Memory to Making Memories: Account Directors Hobby Reveals Unexpected Stories

Our Industrial and Embedded Account Director, Brendan Sansom, became a local hero when his hobby led to a fairytale ending for a happy couple. The story was covered by local and national news channels last week for discovering and reuniting a lost wedding ring with its owners 72 hours after being lost at the beach in Folkestone. We were thrilled to hear such fantastic news, so we had to get an exclusive interview with the hero himself.

The Story

When a local woman was left devastated when she lost her husband's wedding ring while taking their dog for a walk on Sunny Sands Beach in Folkestone, she reached out for help. Despite not holding out much hope of being reunited, two local heroes, Brendan Sansom and Kris Alden, came to the rescue. Some three days after losing it, the ring was found buried in the sand with the help of dog Alan, Google photo coordinates and two determined Metal Detectorists. Read the full story here.

Q&A With Brendan, the Metal Detectorist

How long have you been metal detecting?
I purchased my first detector around 35 years ago, but this was only a short stint, as I found other things way more important to do in my teenage years. It's been 3 years since I picked up a machine now and have been detecting on a regular basis.

What inspired you to start metal detecting?
Several things, but the most important for the past three years are; Mental Health, the very turbulent History of England and the chance to own and research finds and Physical Exercise, helping to build a picture of what was going on in the area when getting items recorded.

What is your favourite place to go metal detecting?
I don’t think I have a favourite. I love an early morning detect on the beach to see the sunrise on a workday (a great way to start the day). Any outside place is great, but the standout place I have visited so far is Trecastle in the Brecon Beacons (Wales), as the scenery was stunning. I also met a guy there who, several years back found a hoard of 5000 Silver Saxon Pennies that later sold for £1.35M!

What is the most interesting thing you have found while metal detecting?
The one thing that comes to mind is my Trajan Silver Denarius. I find local Roman activity incredibly interesting. This discovery has led to being asked to participate in a dig later this year that could potentially rewrite Roman history in Kent.

How do you research potential metal detecting locations? 
I mainly research this online, studying old maps, and then reference these on modern Lidar maps that can show historical activity in an area from thousands of years back. Things like long-gone buildings and trackways are visible.

Have you ever found anything valuable while metal detecting?
Yes, many items. But the hobby for me has never been about money. With jewellery I find, I try to get back to the owners, and older items form part of my collection and journey of being a Detectorist (I have never sold anything I have found).

What is the most challenging aspect of metal detecting? 
Gaining permission from people to search on their land (all land belongs to someone, and you must gain permission first). Also the weather. If the ground is too dry it can be like concrete and reduces the depth the machine can go. Too wet, and it can be a mud bath and you can’t see what you have found.

Have you ever discovered anything historically significant while metal detecting?
Too many to mention. Everything that does hold any historical value, I make sure it's recorded to help build a better historical picture for future generations to understand and study.

What are some misconceptions about metal detecting?
That all Detectorists are Night Hawkers (people who detect without permission to rob and sell valuable artefacts). Also, everyone does it for the money. The truth is that very few people do it for this, and even fewer become rich from it!

What do you love about it?
The relaxation and head space it brings from being outside immersed in the scenery, also the thrill of not knowing what the next signal could be. Every time you dig it’s like entering the lottery - mostly disappointment, but now and then, you have a nice win.

I have found coins from 150 BC (Iron Age). It blows my mind that something that old has been sitting in the ground that long, and I am the first person to see or touch it in over 2000 years. I often wonder about the person that lost an item, how their life compares to our life now and what they would make of the car I drove there in, the metal detector and the phone I use to take pictures - even down to having buttons on clothes, as they would not have even encountered these or understand them.

Where can we find out more about your finds?
We have a group on Facebook called The Finds Table

How are you handling your newfound fame?
It's been insane how many people want to get a story about this, but at the end of the day, the real fame gained from this is for Alan the Dog...who I am told is handling it very well!

Our people at Simms are the heartbeat of our organisation, and we recognise each contribution makes a difference. It's fabulous to see these core values and Brendan's renowned attention to detail and metal detecting skills are helping the community too. Get to know more about our amazing Sales Team by listening to our Making IT Happen podcast.