Mary's groat in a field with fungi

Mary 1 groat 1553/4

We have central heating again and it is pleasant to have the chill taken off these colder evenings. After 14 years particles in the system had clogged the valve which allows the water to flow into the heating system. The problem was fixed at the same time as our annual service.

On Sunday I attended a club dig. The rain soaked us initially but it stopped after an hour and was replaced by a cold wind.  I was very pleased to find a Mary 1 groat (1553/4) in good condition (photo above), my third hammered coin, the last being an Elizabeth half groat in May 2010. 
This is a better photo of a Mary 1 groat from 

http://www.coins-of-the-uk.co.uk/pics/fourd.html

This is a short account of Mary 1 (Bloody Mary) on the PAS database: http://finds.org.uk/postmedievalcoins/rulers/ruler/id/220/name/mary-i-of-england

A fuller account can be read here: http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/tudor_8.htm

Design:

Obverse: MARIA D G ANG FRA Z HIB REGI (Mary by the Grace of God Queen of England, France and Ireland)
Crowned bust left. 

The London mint mark is a pomegranate found between MARIA and DG on the right side.


Reverse: VERITA/S TEM/PORIS/FILIA (Truth, the daughter of Time) 
Long cross fourchée over royal shield.


My coin weighs 1.72g, diameter varies 23.84 to 22.74mm, thickness = .57mm

My other finds included an 1862 Victoria halfpenny and a George III halfpenny with the monarch's head just visible in outline. It may be an Imitation halfpenny, or ’evasion’, depicting a bust resembling George III, but with a false legend. Towards the end of the 18th century, a large proportion of the copper coinage in circulation was unofficial or counterfeit. To avoid severe penalties for forgery, the manufacturers of these 'coins' made use of false legends. This information is from: http://www.ukdfd.co.uk/ukdfddata/showrecords.php?product=27008&cat=86

Other good  finds by club members were a Celtic coin, 3 Roman, another hammered, a cut half and a cut quarter.

Bob showed me some interesting fungi, unidentified as yet:

about 2cms wide

 This was larger - 6/8 cms wide

St Nicks old boys reunion

When we left St. Nicholas Grammar School, Northwood, we became 'old boys'. When you are 18 years old that expression has a completely different meaning compared to the over sixties crowd that met at a Rickmansworth golf club yesterday. As I understand the development of the reunion, Chris Prior, a long time expat, had been in touch with Geoff Horn and said he and his wife would be in Blighty for the first time in years. Geoff took the initiative and contacted all those of our school era that he could find and the word was passed on. It was amazing how you could recognise instantly people who you haven't seen for 45 years! It was a most enjoyable occasion and afterwards I was also able to meet Ken's wife Brenda. We had last met about 40 years ago. All three of us were in the same primary school class at the age of five - Lady Bankes Junior School, Ruislip Manor.

Suspects from left to right: Peter Ross, Malcolm Money, Tony Westray, Colin Knight, Chris Prior, Nick Kohl, Geoff Horn, Ray Dean, Ken Davies, Richard Wyse.

Cold wind at Heyshott

John Murray fueling the fire

This morning I attended another work party at Heyshott organised by the Murray Downland Trust. We completed clearing the area which had been started five weeks ago, a total of three acres. A couple of mice scampered away from my rake and dived into the leaf litter. A cold wind fanned the fire well and gave us a superb burn. 
I hope the Primulas appreciate three acres of downland reclaimed from the woods and make an appearance soon. We can then expect the endangered Dukes of Burgundy to flow down from the high ground. 

yesterday's sunrise

 Someone has put this amazing wind vane next to the path to the work area.

Timber!

the workers packing up below the cleared area

the rest of today's  area

previously cleared area

view on the way down

amazing fungi