Taunton School chefs uncover lost relics on school grounds

Two Taunton School chefs have unearthed a haul of historical finds, including a Victorian Jubilee medal, after taking up metal detecting during the pandemic. 

Neil McKellar and Peter Council, who between them have worked in the school’s kitchens for over 30 years, were delighted to discover their own Jubilee memorabilia as the country celebrates HRH Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee this year.

Since 2020, the two chefs have uncovered a number of fascinating finds this year, including a farmer’s token from 1649 and the Golden Jubilee token from 1887, which was given to local residents by the Mayor of the town at the time.

After their dig, they made sure to replace the earth and shared their find with the school’s history department so that students could learn about what life was like at Taunton School hundreds of years ago.

The pair are looking for new places to dig in the county and hope that their story will help to inspire others to take up ‘beeping’ in the future.

Neil McKellar said: “Metal detecting is such an interesting hobby, and we feel lucky that we work for a place that is so happy for us to explore our passion and learn more about the history of our county and the school. Finding these lost relics is so exciting; it makes you wonder who or what was happening when that object was dropped into the earth.”

Taunton School’s Head of Estates, Terry Harris, said: “Any opportunity to be curious is encouraged here at Taunton School, and we are so pleased that Neil and Peter have been able to find some fascinating pieces of our history in our school campus.”