Historical coin hoard found buried under Dorset cottage

Robert and Becky Fooks found the coins under the floor of their new cottage

Becky Fooks Robert and Becky Fooks — Robert and Becky Fooks found the coins under the floor of their new cottage

A buried hoard of coins dating to the 16th and 17th Centuries has been found during renovation work on a cottage.

The cache of more than 1,000 gold and silver coins was discovered under an earth floor at South Poorton, Dorset.

One of the property's new owners, Robert Fooks, was digging with a pickaxe by torchlight when he found the trove in a pottery bowl.

Auctioneers hope to sell the collection for between £15,000 and £30,000.

The hoard was found in a pottery bowl buried in a bare earth floor

Becky Fooks Excavation — The hoard was found in a pottery bowl buried in a bare earth floor

Mr Fooks' wife Becky said her husband was spending evenings in the cottage after work to increase the height of the room and install underfloor heating before they moved in.

She said: "He came across a mass of coins covered in mud and put them in a bucket.

"He didn't stop and study them. He's a worker - when he's intent on something he cracks on."

Mrs Fooks said it was only the following day that she examined the coins and realised how old they were.

"You can clearly see the date. Some of the gold coins were easy to read, really clean," she said.

Auctioneers have valued the collection at more than £15,000

Becky Fooks coins — Auctioneers have valued the collection at more than £15,000

The hoard, discovered in October 2019, was returned to the couple this year after expert analysis and legal work.

The British Museum guessed they were deposited early in the English Civil War (1642-51) by a landowner trying to keep his wealth safe.

The collection, including James I and Charles I gold coins and Elizabeth I silver shillings, is being sold by Duke's Auctions in Dorchester on Tuesday.

Mrs Fooks said the property's previous owners came close to finding the hoard.

She said: "They had removed the flooring on top of the earth and stopped work. The coins were about 10 inches (25cm) further down."