Moving Forward Together: A joint KAS & LEGISE Event
[fg]jpg||Image[/fg]
A glorious Saturday in late October in Maidstone at The Friars – Aylesford Priory, was the venue for a joint event between Kent Archaeological Society (KAS) and Landscape Explorers Group in the Southeast (LEGISE).
Headlined as ‘Metal Detecting in Kent: Moving Forward Together’, the Priory was the perfect setting, to bring together the archaeology and detecting communities with an engaging format and an agenda designed for all.
KAS had very kindly invited LEGISE to jointly present the event, which was the first of its kind. And a thank you also goes to Isle Heritage CIC who were a key sponsor on the day.
The opening remarks from Keith Parfitt, Chair of the Archaeology Research Group, set the tone for an engaging day of talks and discussions from ‘both sides of the aisle’. However, it soon became evident that both sides are clearly moving forward together. This was borne out early by some of the data and analysis presented by Clive Sinclair and Keith in their joint talk on the results from an extensive LEGISE/KAS questionnaire that was widely distributed to detecting clubs and archaeologists.
Amongst the 46 questions directed to archaeologists and detectorists, there were some interesting take-aways. There was an overwhelmingly collective response when asked if either side would work with the other on a range of items, from sharing site knowledge to working together again etc.
87% of detectorists said they would work with archaeologists again
and…
97% of archaeologists said they would work with detectorists again
During the session intervals, delegates were able to mingle, help themselves to tea, coffee and biscuits and view the exhibits that the area detecting clubs had on display. The clubs were well represented, with cabinets and finds tables from: Cantium, Cinque Ports, Invicta Seekers, Royal Phoenix and West Kent.
[fg]jpg|Keith Parfitt, flanked by LEGISE’s General Secretary, Clive Sinclair (l) & Chairman David Barwell (r)|Image[/fg]
[fg]jpg|A fascinating collection of artefacts were on display throughout the conference|Image[/fg]
The other presentations on the day were:
David Barwell: LEGISE, A case Study from Norfolk
David Holman: The Impact of recording Iron Age Coins in Kent since 1990
Isabelle Diggle: Kent FLO, Excavation and Collaboration: The Power of Partnership in Archaeological Hoard Excavation
When the Party’s Over: How metal detecting can contribute to the understanding of the two Viking ages of Kent.
In his closing remarks, Keith Parfitt posed the question to the audience, as to whether or not a similar event should be held next year?
The all-round applause and response were a resounding YES.
[fg]jpg|At the AMDS/LEGISE stand, David Barwell and Martin Miles discuss rural policing in Kent with officer Ian Norton|Image[/fg]
[fg]jpg|The conference was fantastically well attended and a huge success|Image[/fg]
All images courtesy of LEGISE, permissions obtained, 2025.