New Times,
New Thinking.

  1. The Back Pages
2 October 2024

This England: Pennies from Lenham

This column – which, though named after a line in Shakespeare’s “Richard II”, refers to the whole of Britain – has run in the New Statesman since 1934.

By New Statesman

A metal-detectorist pensioner was left speechless after a hoard of gold coins discovered in Lenham, Kent, sold for more than £100,000. Tony Asquith unearthed what looked like “a pile of chocolate buttons”. After putting on his glasses, he realised he had discovered 35 gold coins dating back to around 55 BCE – a time when Julius Caesar had already conquered Gaul and was attempting to conquer Britain. Asquith, who has been a detectorist for 45 years, said: “I am speechless at the result and can’t believe it.”
Kent Online (Richard Fearn)

A seat with a view

Not even the Highland port town of Cromarty can escape Britain’s plague of fly-tipping it seems. A smart office chair has been left on a jetty overlooking the sea in “the UK’s most remote fly-tip”. Locals are concerned that the seat has been permanently abandoned. “It has the best view in Cromarty,” said harbour officials, who have asked the owner to retrieve the discarded piece of furniture.
Metro (Michael Meadowcroft)

Stand by tree

Oasis fans who missed out on tickets for the band’s reunion tour can instead see their heroes… at a scarecrow festival. Straw versions of Liam and Noel, dubbed Scarecr-Oasis, were created by residents as the Great Paxton Scarecrow Festival returned to Cambridgeshire. “Over the years, there have been some real stand-out ones and some hilarious ones,” said committee member Rachael Martin, 43.
BBC (Amanda Welles)

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how Progressive Media Investments may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

Content from our partners
The UK’s skills shortfall is undermining growth
<strong>What kind of tax reforms would stimulate growth?</strong>
How to end the poverty premium

Topics in this article : ,

This article appears in the 02 Oct 2024 issue of the New Statesman, The fury of history