Cross? I was delighted! Metal detectorist finds £20,000 gold treasure in farmer's field

A grandmother struck gold while metal detecting in a farmer's field – uncovering a medieval cross that could be worth upwards of £20,000.

Shelley Couzins, 58, made the discovery after five hours of finding nothing but 'rubbish'. 

Her detector beeped – and hidden a foot below the surface of a ploughed field in the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, was the gold cross.

Ms Couzins, of nearby Lordswood, said: 'It was quite quiet all morning and then I heard this beep. I had only found rubbish.

'I thought it was costume jewellery, because I didn't think I would ever find something like that.

'It is like a metal detectorist's dream. You only find something like this once in a lifetime.'

The grandmother-of-five was out with the Medway History Finders when she struck gold in August. 

When she first found the cross she assumed it was fake, until she took it back to the main tent to get a cup of tea and the others told her it was real gold. 

Ms Couzins said: 'Everyone was excited and they all wanted to have a look at it.

'I was really excited but at the same time a little bit underwhelmed, because I knew that I would have to hand it in.

'I was absolutely gutted because I like to keep everything I find. I know I will probably never see it again.'

The 10.6g cross was classified as treasure and is now with the British Museum. 

The cross has been identified as a medieval gold reliquary cross, with a depiction of Jesus's crucifixion on one side and Mary with the baby Jesus on the other.

It has a pin which can be pulled out causing the cross to open, usually with a spiritual object inside. But she didn't open it through fear of damaging the object.

There is a pearl on the bottom, and Shelley believes there would have been three pearls on the cross originally.

If the museum wants to keep it, it will assign a value to be split between Ms Couzins – who has been metal detecting for four years – and the landowner.

The Isle of Sheppey has ties to Henry VIII and the Boleyn family, so Ms Couzins is hoping the cross might be connected to them. 

She said: 'It is unusual to find one complete like that as well. With the ploughing they normally get broken up.

'It was amazing actually. I really love that I saved it. If that plough had gone over again it might have picked that up and broken it in two.

'It could be worth thousands. I am happy for it to go to a good home where it needs to go instead of sitting in my cupboard.

'If it is historical I will be really pleased with that.'

Ms Couzins started metal detecting four years ago. 

She has previously found a third of a Guinea gold coin from 1822 and a medieval silver bead ring which have both been handed in for analysis.