Collette Hoard

The Collette Hoard is a Bronze Age artifact collection from Northumberland with six gold lock rings, bracelets, rings, pins, and six socketed axes. The pieces were found near Berwick-upon-Tweed and are now displayed at the Great North Museum in Newcastle.

A metal detectorist named John Minns discovered the collection in April 2005 and gave it the name of his eight-year-old daughter to keep the location private. The ensemble dates to a period when people across Britain were using bronze to make weapons, tools, and jewelry.

The collection shows early Bronze Age metalworking traditions from the region, with tools that were carefully shaped by hand. You can see how people made both practical objects and decorative pieces for themselves.

The pieces are on view at the Great North Museum in Newcastle, which is open regularly to visitors and easy to reach. It helps to allow time for looking at the details, since the objects are small, finely worked pieces.

The ensemble contains the first socketed gouge tool found in Northumberland, showing how advanced metalworking was in this region. This rare tool form helps archaeologists understand what craft techniques existed at that time.

GPS coordinates: 55.77100,-2.00700

Latest update: December 14, 2025 13:05