Little Thetford .org

The latest village newsletter is now online. If you’re in the village – a printed copy should have already come through your door.

John Parish tells us that this is a “Roman bronze coin of unusual and as yet unidentified type. Emperors head on reverse too corroded to identify”.

Edit: We have been told that “this is either a cut down/worn away Antoninianus or a barbarous copy commemorating Claudius II Gothicus after his death AD 270. The reverse is an Altar type ‘CONSECRATIO’, the IO is visible. It is close to the Garlanded Altar type RIC Vol V Part 1 Cladius II Gothicus No 261. There are barbarous types copying those made in a Roman Mint. It is a coin type we find quite commonly these days.”

“RIC = The Roman Imperial Coinage; Vol V = Volume 5. This RIC book volume was originally printed 1927 by Spink & Son ltd under Editors Harold Mattingly M.A. and Edward A Sydenham M.A and Part 1 is primarily the work of a Percy H Webb M.B.E. It was Reprinted in 1998 and 2001 by Bookcraft (Bath) Ltd. The actual book page designating RIC ‘CIIG’ Coin Number 261 is page 233 of the Vol 5 Pt 1″.

Thank you to Richard Ashford.


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Villagers are excited about the short-eared owls now resident. These two images were taken recently by John Parish. See also Dave Fletcher’s recent short-eared owl images.

Short-eared owl Photo: John Parish

Short-eared owl Photo: John Parish

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Local historian, Mike Petty MBE, publishes a regular nostalgia column in the Cambridge Evening news. With Mike’s permission, we provide a copy of his 19 March article on Grunty Fen. In the article, Mike discusses the draining of Grunty Fen commencing in 1838—see also The catchwater–drain. Mike might also reveal the location of the infamous Grunty Fen great rhubarb plantation, oft mentioned by our local radio celebrity, Denis of Grunty Fen (the late Peter Sayers). Or does he? Read Mike’s article to find out.

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Qwiki is a web site that reads Wikipedia to you whilst showing you related pictures. It is not new, although it does seem to have improved since its early 2011 launch. Admittedly at its best as an app on the iPad, it still works just as well on a PC or Mac. Try it yourself by viewing Little Thetford.

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Bob Young points out that the Bronze Roman rams head found in Little Thetford by Dave Fletcher is similar to a bovine head found in Little Thetford by Philip Randall; see pictures below. Both these artefacts are probably votive offerings. Judge the similarity yourself.

Dave Fletchers Roman Rams Head find

Philip Randells bovine head find

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21 March 2012: Dave Fletcher tells us that he saw three short-eared owls today in the fields beside the railway line. He admits his images of two of them (below) are not brilliant as the owls were really far away. Nevertheless, it is good news that these owls are in our village.

Short-eared owl

Short-eared owl

See also the sightings we mentioned earlier by Gill Norman and John Parish

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To celebrate the “Diamond Jubilee” of Queen Elizabeth II, Little Thetford will hold a “Picnic in the Field“. We are looking for ideas and helpers. Please come along to the meeting on Wednesday 21 March at the Social Club lounge at 8.15pm.

Unless signalling distress, the Union Jack should be flown the correct way up. The Wikipedia article Union Flag tells us “The broad portion of the white cross of St Andrew should be above the red band of St Patrick (and the thin white portion below) in the upper hoist canton (the corner at the top nearest to the flag-pole), giving the Scottish symbol precedence over the Irish symbol. This is expressed by the phrases wide white top and broad side up”.

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Phillip Randall of Barway showed us some more of his local finds recently. On the right we have a Bronze-Age sky wheel or Celtic sun cross perhaps used as part of pre-Christian sun worship or a symbol of a simple time-keeping instrument.

Below we show two views of one of Philips large stone maces. Found by the site of the Bronze-Age Barway to Little Thetford causeway, this mace may even have been used in the construction of said causeway. Who knows?