Ancient Milling Stone Uncovered at Mill

An Archaelogical Finds Day hosted at East Devon's Otterton Mill last Saturday attracted a treasure trove of historical artefacts. Over 170 members of the public arrived throughout the day, many of them carrying box-loads of objects found in their gardens or the local countryside.

The most exciting find was an ancient quern or milling stone, believed to date from Roman times. It was brought in by John Addicott, a farmer from Longdown in Devon, who had unearthed the quern while ploughing one of his fields over 20 years ago. The Historic Environment Section of the Devon County Council is now working to verify the exact age of the stone. Otterton Mill itself holds a similar quern, which is also believed to date from either the iron age or Roman times.

Otterton Mill owner Simon Spiller said "The response from the public was overwhelming, and it was wonderful to see so many items of interest. In some cases, people were bringing in hundreds of items they had found over many years".

The event was run by archaeological expert Danielle Wooton from the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme, along with a six-strong team of archaeologists, geologists and historians. The visit was part of a nationwide programme run by the Museum, with a mission of identifying and recording archaeological discoveries. Every year, thousands of objects are discovered, many by metal-detector users, but also by people out walking, gardening, renovating their home or digging a ditch. From worked flint, to pottery shards, metal artefacts and coins, the discoveries provide historians with an invaluable source for better understanding our past. All of the finds registered at Otterton Mill will shortly be available for the public to view on the Portable Antiquities Scheme website.

Date added: Wednesday 4th August 2010
Latest updated: Monday 16th January 2012