Mystery sparked by West End holes
TREASURE hunters are being blamed for several holes which have suddenly appeared in the ground on Tyneside.
Metal detector users is one theory being put forward as locals try to get to the bottom of the appearance of a mysterious series of holes in their neighbourhood.
They became aware of them just after Christmas on an area of land off Benwell Lane in Newcastle known as ‘Lilia Park.’
Up to eight have appeared, some as wide as 4ft and 2ft deep.
One resident said: “I think it’s people using metal detectors.
“They’re so sophisticated these days they can see what’s hidden really deep in the ground which explains why the holes are so deep.”
The resident, who didn’t want to be named, said: “I haven’t seen people using the metal detectors. They might come in the night with their shovels.
“The holes are too big to be dug by hand.
“But why else will they have been dug?”
However, if it is people using metal detectors, what sort of treasure do they hope to find? There was a Benwell village recorded as far back as the year 1050AD when it was known as Bynnewalle, which translates as “behind the wall” or “by the wall”. This refers to its position relative to Hadrian’s Wall, next to which was the Roman fort of Condercum, which explains why Condercum Road is nearby. Nearly 1.3 million archaeological finds have been unearthed in England and Wales over the past 20 years. Under the 1997 Treasure Act, there’s a tight definition of what counts as treasure. Any metallic object, other than a coin, is treasure, as long as at least 10% by weight of metal is gold or silver and that it is at least 300 years old when found.
So, too, are two or more coins from the same find, again provided they are at least 300 years old when found and contain 10% gold or silver.
If you’re lucky enough to find anything like this, you need to report it to the local coroner.
The Treasure Valuation Committee will then decide what it’s worth, and if a museum wants to buy it you’ll share the proceeds with the owner of the land. The money is usually split 50/50.
Meanwhile, an officer from Newcastle City Council has visited the site to assess the damage.
A council spokesman said: “At this stage it’s not clear how the holes were created and for what purpose.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and in the meantime a member of the team will fill in the holes for safety reasons.
“We would always urge local residents who notice any unruly activities to report them to the council’s contact centre on 0191 278 7878.”
I haven’t seen people using the metal detectors. They might come in the night with their shovels. Local resident