The group meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month at 1:30pm and occasionally at other times due to the requirements of the dig locations.

We meet at local sites – usually small farms in the Bookham and surrounding areas. Members should preferably invest in their own machine, but are very welcome to join us and give it a try with my spare machine.

Metal Detecting is akin to gardening, golf and archaeology – out in the open, digging, walking and discovering old objects. We have found numerous coins ranging from pre-Roman in Britain (+/- 80BC) Roman and medieval to modern day coinage, military buttons and badges, plus various household and horse related articles locally. It is fascinating to see just how much can be discovered on a field in one day - and a bit like fishing, sometimes very little! We abide by a code of practice and report all our pre-1700 finds (and treasure if we were ever lucky enough to find any!) to the Portable Antiquities Scheme. Once a member you should also become a member of the NCMD - National Council for Metal Detecting - which provides insurance and advice country wide.

The principles of the U3A are for each member to share the running of the group: so we encourage you to try to find new land on which we may detect. Please do ask anyone you know with land - stables, farm, field or pasture if we might be able to dig there: I have blank contracts which we/they can sign to ensure there are no irregularities. We welcome members from various U3As including Bookham, Dorking, and Horsley as it is a niche hobby with only a few members from each area.  - thank you!

Please enquire about vacancies. 

07 December 2023