Sometimes, when I’m out detecting fields for Roman and Saxon finds, I stumble across evidence of a much later conflict.

This particular field is sandwiched between a Roman road and the site of a Saxon longhouse, right in the heart of Hellfire Corner, Kent…true Battle of Britain country.

An hour after uncovering a medieval pilgrim’s cross, I turned up two spent .303 cartridges, likely dropped from a Spitfire or Hurricane during one of the many dogfights that once raged above this ground.

Once again, history proves itself to be in layers…deep, rich, and wonderfully tangled!