Milton Keynes heritage is sold on the net
SOME of Milton Keynes' valuable pre-historic heritage found its way on to the internet auction site eBay and was sold to a Dutchman.
The bizarre tale of the 3,000-year-old Bronze Age axe heads began at the
beginning of summer 2004, when a couple known as just Stuart and Tracey made the discovery.
However, they moved to France and asked acquaintances John Couchman, of Hemel Hempstead, and Lorraine Ayton, of Bedford, to sell the 15-piece set.
The hoard was nearly lost for good, but for the help of a Dutchman, Jeroen Zuiderwijk, aka Fortress X, who paid 205 for the collection in September last year.
Realising their archaelogical value he got in touch with Rosalind Tyrrell, Buckinghamshire's finds liaison officer.
At an inquest held at the Civic Offices to establish whether the axe heads are treasure, Mrs Tyrrell said: "There were a lot of doubts about what to do because the county museum could not accept these as a donation because of their dubious provenance and they certainly were not prepared to pay him for them."
So the matter was taken up by Bedfordshire Police who launched an investigation.
However, Stuart and Tracey were never traced and it is still not known where the artefacts were discovered.
Brian Giggins, an archaelogist for Milton Keynes Council, said: "It is a bit of a disappointment because not knowing where it was found diminishes its interest as a piece of archaelogy.
"It does, though, throw up evidence of the Bronze Age and that there was bronze-smithing in the area."
He added: "It is an area we need to do far more research into, but we
have lost the opportunity in this instance."
City coroner Rodney Corner said: "I am satisfied they must be treasure."
At present the axe heads are being kept at the British Museum.
richard.cooper@mkcitizen.co.uk
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Milton Keynes
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -0 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 6 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -4 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
