KIRK SUES FOR SHARE OF £2M VIKING TREASURE
Church pursues metal detectorist after sale
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Church of Scotland is suing a treasure hunter for a share of a £2 million Viking hoard discovered on the Kirk’s land.
The legal action has been launched five years after the discovery of more than 100 precious items later sold to National Museums Scotland. Papers at the Court of Session reveal the Church is suing metal detectorist Derek McLennan who found buried treasure on church land in Dumfries and Galloway in 2014.
The items, thought to have been buried in the 10th Century, include an early Christian cross made of silver and solid gold jewellery. Experts say the discovery – the Galloway Hoard – is one of Scotland’s most important archaeological finds.
Church minister David Bartholomew, who was with Mr McLennan when he found the treasure, said: “It is my understanding there was always an agreement the money would be shared with the Church. I’m surprised Derek would go back on a deal.”
Ametal detector enthusiast who unearthed Britain’s richest haul of Viking treasure is being sued by the Church of Scotland for a share of the spoils.
Derek McLennan, from Ayrshire, found more than 100 objects, including solid gold jewellery, on church land in Dumfries and Galloway in September 2014.
The items, thought to have been buried in the 10th Century, included an early Christian cross made of solid silver, with distinctive enamelled decorations.
National Museums Scotland raised almost £2 million to acquire the treasures – now called the Galloway Hoard – from the Crown Estate, with the finder, Mr McLennan, to receive the money.
At the time, it was reported he would share any proceeds with the Kirk. But now church trustees have launched an action at the Court of Session in Edinburgh to recover what they claim is due to them.
Last week, Mr McLennan’s friend and fellow metal detector enthusiast, the Rev David Bartholomew, who was with him when he made his discovery, told how the euphoria when the first artefact was pulled from the ground turned to acrimony.
The Castle Douglas minister said: “Derek was my friend and it is sad that it has come to this.
“It is my understanding there was always an agreement the money would be shared with the Church.
“I’m surprised Derek would go back on a deal because he had done everything by the book at all times. I don’t understand why he would, it is not a thing that can be avoided.
“There is an unwritten rule among metal detectorists that you split any find with the landowner, otherwise they might not give permission to search on their ground.” Mr McLennan had searched the unidentified area of Church of Scotland land for more than a year in the hunt for treasure.
Mr Bartholomew and another keen detectorist friend, Mike Smith, the pastor of an Elim Pentecostal Church in Galloway, were with him when the discovery was made.
Mr McLennan, 50, unearthed the valuables two feet beneath the
ground – well below the depth his machine should pick up a signal.
There was great excitement when Mr McLennan then waved aloft an ancient silver arm ring and shouted: “Viking!”
The haul was described as “outstanding and exceptional” by experts, and included a rare gold ingot, beads, crystals and a decorated silver-gilt cup thought to be of Byzantine origin.
Mr Bartholomew said: “I would never have found the hoard. Derek did because he is a gifted detectorist.
“I was just pleased to be part of an amazing day.”
Mr McLennan passed on the treasure to the Queen’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer, which rules on found goods and property without an owner.
Unlike the rest of the UK, where the awards are split between the finder and the landowner, in Scotland rules on discoveries allow the finder to keep the full amount.
In Scotland, it is at the discretion of the metal detectorist if payments are made to the landowner.
When the discovery was made, the Kirk said its General Trustees, as the landowners, had reached agreement with Mr McLennan about sharing any proceeds – and any money would “first and foremost be used for the good of the local parish”.
Two years ago, it was announced National Museums Scotland had raised £1.98m to pay the finder for the Viking haul.
The Kirk said at the time: “The Church has worked closely with the finder and agreed an equitable share of its value.”
However, news of the impending legal action suggests that no agreeable split has materialised.
Mr Bartholomew said that last autumn the Kirk asked him to approach Mr McLennan about the matter as officials had struggled to make contact with him.
“The Church knew I was Derek’s friend and I was with him at the time of the find so I phoned, emailed and wrote to him but I never heard anything back.
“I even went to visit him at his house but I could never get him at home, so I was asked to give a statement to the Church about it.”
He added: “It is my understanding the Church did not want to go through the courts as it does no one any good.”
Following the find, Mr McLennan and his detectorist wife Sharon launched a firm called Beyond
‘ I phoned, emailed and wrote to him but never heard anything back. I even went to visit him at his house but I could never get him home