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Press Articles.....
Rare coin unearthed in farmer's field by Gary Skewntelbery A RARE Roman coin found in a farmer's field at Lymm near Warrington, could provide a vital clue to a village's ancient past. Archaeologist James Balme discovered the rare silver coin which he believes could be vital evidence to prove the village was once a centre of major Roman military activity. 
He has spent the past decade researching the area and has recovered
rare and exciting artefacts from the Prehistoric and Roman periods.His latest find is extremely rare and reveals a great story from the ancient Republic of Rome that came to rest in the village two thousand years ago. James said: "During a recent field-walking exercises I recovered a very rare Roman Republican silver coin of King Aretas, minted in 58 BC. This in itself tells a great story from history and the coin carries an amazing legend from the past." "King Aretas was associated with victory in Judaea by the ruler 'Pompey the Great'. It represents a time when there was a second Jewish revolt against Rome that sparked the Roman conquest of Judaea. It was issued by the Roman General Aemilius Scaurus and produced by the moneyer known as Plautius Hypsaeas. 
"The question remains as to why such a coin ended
up lying in the soils of this small Cheshire village and I am still
convinced that this coin is from Roman military activity rather than a rural
farmstead or similar. "This is now the second silver coin that I have recovered in the area as well as a rare 1st century silver snake bracelet that is currently at the British Museum and has been declared as Treasure Trove." James, who also discovered a Roman fortlet in the area believes more crucial evidence will come to light during further investigation in the area.
New probe into ancient  by Gary Skentelbery AN ancient Roman settlement discovered near Warrington nearly 10 years ago and featured in cult TV programme "Time Team" is to undergo further intensive investigation over the next three years. Warrington-based archaeologist and presenter James Balme who filmed the programme with the team believes vital clues have been missed. James explained : "Whilst an excavation took place for the programme it centred on one particular field in Warburton and the location was based on previous university archaeological test results within that field that suggested a possible fort. The rest of the village was not archaeologically investigated which is a shame. "But I now believe I have located an area of intense Roman activity some distance from the area excavated. "Already it has produced a rare Roman silver coin known as a Denarius and dated to 58 BC. As well as the coin, a silver snake bracelet featured in the Time Team show actually came from a new area of land now under investigation. "Roman farming and agriculture would have been taking place in the village and I thank Tony Robinson and the team for revealing archaeological evidence in support of this. But if there was a network of small Roman farmsteads tending the land there is a very good chance there was possibly a much larger Roman farm in the area serviced and supplied by the local Romano-British people." Previous research work in the village has uncovered a vast collection of artefacts spanning almost 8,000 years of history and James believes there is still an underlying reason why so much material is concentrated in an area as small as Warburton. He added: "The quality of many of the latest finds are what can be classed as being of 'High Status' in other words the sort of items owned and used by affluent people around the village. This points to there being a strong possibility that there were indeed wealthy landowners in the area. This would explain a lot of my recent findings. I have earmarked at least three years to investigate this potentially important new area of land for research. "We are continuing to search the area and are still unearthing Roman artefacts on a regular basis. We will leave no stone unturned in our investigation." To compliment the programme James has written a new live presentation telling the story of Time Team's visit to the village entitled ' Detecting, Archaeology & Television'.
Time Team by Gary Skentelbery CULT archaeological television series 'Time Team' have opened up a local farmer's field following a number of exciting Roman finds by Warrington archaeologist James Balme. Over a three-day period Tony Robinson, Phil Harding, John Gater and the rest of team joined James on site in Warburton near Lymm to carry out an investigation to try and discover why the area is so rich in evidence of a Prehistoric and Roman past. 
The team was led by Dr Francis Pryor famous for his BBC documentaries 'Britain BC & Britain AD'. Dr Pryor
is also President of the Council for British Archaeology of which James is a member.Excavation work involved JCB's digging huge trenches in search of a Roman fortlet - with their finds to be revealed early in the New Year. James who has been investigating the site for more than a decade, has also recovered evidence from the Prehistoric, Bronze Age and Iron Age periods of history and many of his finds will be highlighted in the programme. The artefacts highlight the ancient past of the village helping to re-write what was previously known about the quiet backwater of Warburton. The programme will feature a classic reconstruction of an artefact recovered during his investigations. "The village of Warburton will now get the recognition that it richly deserves whilst at the same time my archaeological work will be given national coverage. What is really exciting is the fact that this programme will be shown in other countries as well," said James. As well as appearing with 'Time Team' he has now been approached by the BBC who are very interested in working with him on future archaeological programmes about his work. " It seems that from what started out as a hobby has now generated a great interest in television circles and it seems that more television work is just around the corner." From January 2007 the new series of Time Team will broadcast across the nation on Channel 4 and will feature the programme filmed in Warburton.
Quest to find Roman Lymm by Gary Skentelbery VITAL clues to a Warrington village's Roman past may have been unearthed by local archaeologist James Balme. During a recent archaeological exhibition in Lymm held to display many rare and exciting finds from the ancient settlement of Warburton, including artefacts spanning almost 8000 years of local history, James was quizzed by local residents about the village's possible Roman roots. Now James is about to launch an investigation into possible Roman links with the village and the Roman fortlet he discovered in nearby Warburton almost eight years ago. He said: " My discovery of the Roman military site in Warburton was very exciting but following further research I believe that there is extremely strong evidence for a Roman presence in Lymm. It has long been rumoured the Romans may well have been in the village but as far as I am aware no solid evidence has been forthcoming. At the exhibition many people kept asking when I was going to do something about finding out more about the Roman history of Lymm and for that reason I have decided to launch an investigation to hopefully come up with proof that the Romans were here." He will be following up several clues as he begins his investigations. "An immediate and obvious starting point is Pepper Street. Almost every Roman town in Britain has a Pepper Street including Chester, so where better than here to begin." The base of Lymm cross is also thought to be the original plinth for a statue of the Roman goddess Minerva and Eagle Brow is also thought to be the location of an early Roman sandstone quarry. Many other clues will be investigated over a three year period including the "mysterious" sandstone caves that are prominent in the village. During initial research into ancient activity in the area James came across several heads and other unusual features carved into the sandstone cliffs which are predominant in the village. "I was approached by a woman who has lived in lymm all her life. She asked if I would be interested in taking a look at strange shapes she had noticed on a cliff face close to her home. They had been hidden under thick undergrowth for many years and had just come to light during some gardening work. I went to examine the sandstone and was amazed to find two carved heads on the face of the cliff and several unusual small caves cut into the rock. There was even a carving that is almost certainly that of an owl or large bird. There is evidence of a natural spring flowing from the cliff and all of this could indicate an ancient shrine or ritual area. "This may well prove to be the first of many clues to Roman activity in the heart of the village and I will certainly be investigating this one in great detail." 
James is convinced his quest to find Roman activity in the village will be a success and he thinks he may have
already found a vital clue, which would prove a definite link with Warburton Roman fortlet. He has been studying
aerial photographs of the central area of Lymm and has made an interesting discovery."Aerial photography is a great way to search for clues of the past use of the landscape and in particular I have been looking for any crop-marks or unusual features within the photographs and I think that I may have found one! An area of land close to the village centre has shown up a parch-mark caused by a hot dry spell of weather. Parch-marks reveal various probable archaeological features because the sun causes the grass to scorch quickly where an underlying feature such as stone or gravel may be present while the surrounding grass that is on fertile deeper soil remains lush. The contrast between the two different grasses becomes clear when viewed from above even though at ground level it may not be visible at all. "What the photograph has revealed is very exciting, as it seems to show what is referred to in archaeological terms as 'a playing card' shape. This shape is often found to represent a Roman fort or similar and a classic feature that distinguishes this from something like a football pitch is that it always has rounded corners. If you look at the photograph it is clear to see that this is the case here. "It is early days in this investigation but I will be visiting the area to look for further clues and it is perfectly feasible that a Roman military installation could have existed here and that the Warburton fortlet was a satellite installation built purely to control the crossing point of the river Mersey."
Ancient treasure trove  EXCLUSIVE by Gary Skentelbery February 2006 A RARE, solid silver Roman bracelet has been unearthed by a Warrington based archaeologist in a ploughed farmer's field. Archaeologist James Balme didn't even need his trusty metal detecting to make the discovery, which was gleaming in the soil. He now believes he has unearthed one of his most important finds which looks set to be declared Treasure Trove and is currently residing at the British Museum in London. James, who has previously discovered an unknown Roman fortlet and numerous prehistoric sites where he recovered large quantities of prehistoric flint tools and weapons, is now hoping to find more ancient treasures at Warburton near Lymm. 
All his finds have been recorded by the portable antiquities scheme who are the official body working in
conjunction with the British Museum. But his latest discovery has provided new and exciting information
about the wealth and social standing of the Roman citizens who lived and farmed in the area almost two
thousand years ago.James said: " my latest discovery is a very rare Roman solid silver snake bracelet dating from the 1st - 2nd centuries known as a Zoomorphic bracelet. But what is really amazing is that it has been reworked in ancient times, possibly by the Saxons, who straightened the bracelet and pierced holes in it to use as a form of decoration or ornamentation. The actual bracelet is unique in its design and the attention to detail especially the creature's head is stunning. The head represents either a snake or possibly a sea serpent. There is little doubt that the bracelet would have been worn by a wealthy Roman citizen who lived in the area and could possibly be someone who was regarded as being of importance in the region." The bracelet is currently awaiting a formal valuation at the British Museum and has already attracted the attention of local museums, one of which has already expressed an interest in acquiring the bracelet for its collection and future display. 
James added: "Whilst the discovery of the bracelet is in itself very exciting, it has a far more important
part to play in my ongoing research and investigations into the previously unknown Roman activity in the area.
The artefact was recovered from a completely new site that I have been taking a look at over the past few months.
This latest find could indicate that I am very close to what was once possibly the site of a wealthy Roman
villa or similar."Roman villas are a very rare occurrence this far north but the finding of the bracelet could be the first indication that this may no longer be the case. I will be investigating the site in much further detail over the next twelve months including the use of new aerial photography of the area. For very obvious reasons I will not at this time be revealing the location of the find. What I can say however is that the Roman occupation of the area may still have a few surprises waiting for us in the future!' More information about the research and discoveries James has made can be found by visiting his official UK website www.jamesbalme.co.uk. He can be contacted via e-mail at historicmedia@hotmail.com.
James hails Cypriot A Warrington based archaeologist who discovered a breathtaking hoard of over 47 ancient Cypriot vessels and artefacts dating back to 2000BC in a loft in the leafy village of Lymm has returned from a mission to the island in search of evidence to prove that the hoard is genuine. 
James Balme who has made many discoveries of previously unknown ancient sites and
artefacts, includsing a Roman fortlet at Warburton near Lymm, spent two weeks on the
island, carrying out intensive research into the hoard.He said: "I was astounded by the evidence I uncovered whilst I was based in Cyprus. I have no doubt whatsoever that the hoard discovered in Lymm is totally genuine and its archaeological value is priceless. "Most of the artefacts can be dated accurately to the early Bronze Age period of approximately 2000BC. Some of the artefacts date from the early Roman occupation of the island whilst three of the ceramic vessels are clearly from the Byzantine period. The Byzantine period is very interesting as it was formed shortly after the collapse of the Roman Empire, as we know it. These vessels clearly carry images of the earliest Christian symbols known to man and the fact that they are etched into the pottery is very significant indeed!" 
James has been amazed at the size and quality of the hoard."I fully intend to give the hoard the recognition that it deserves. There is an amazing story to be told here and I will be approaching several television companies in the near future in an attempt to secure more media coverage about this unique and exciting find. Many members of the public are very keen to learn more about these ancient artefacts and they make a spectacular display when exhibited." While on his mission to Cyprus James decided to fly to Egypt where he took the chance to visit the ancient Pyramids of Giza. He added: "This was an opportunity too good to miss and to visit and actually go deep inside the Pyramids was an experience not to miss!! I even visited the Cairo museum to witness the amazing treasures recovered by Howard Carter back in the early 20th Century." Meanwhile throughout the winter James is concentrating on his latest discovery of three pieces of Viking hack Silver he has uncovered in the Warrington area which he believes could be part of a much larger Viking hoard awaiting his discovery. Any discovery of Viking silver is a rare and extremely important find to be made and it could once again re-write what we know of Viking activity in the area. James who recently featured on BBC1s 'Inside Out Series' highlighting his success, said, " I am now busy preparing to start filming for my next documentary which will highlight some of the latest wonderful discoveries I have made during recent research and the film will be the third in my ongoing series of films that I have written and produced covering my work in the region. I can't wait to see what else we may uncover during filming." Viking treasure found in farmer's field  EXCLUSIVE by Gary Skentelbery October 2005 RARE Viking treasure dating from the 9th and 10th centuries has been unearthed in a farmer's field by a metal detecting enthusiast. It is the latest discovery made by Warrington based archaeologist James Balme who has already discovered many ancient sites and artefacts in the Warburton and Lymm areas, ranging from the Prehistoric, Roman and Saxon periods of history.  His latest discovery is set to add yet another chapter to the already rich history of the area and more importantly proves that Vikings were active in the Lymm area during the 9th and 10th centuries. James has unearthed a "wonderful piece" of Viking HackSilver which he has registered as treasure trove. He said: "HackSilver is a term used to describe silver objects purposely broken up in preparation for smelting to make coinage and ornate objects such as brooches, pendants and various items of personal adornment. "What is particularly exciting is that much of this HackSilver was obtained during the Viking raids and looting of the monasteries in Ireland and the North of England such as the legendary Lindisfarne back in AD 793. "Viking artefacts of silver are a rare occurrence especially in this area of the North West and to make such a discovery so soon into my latest research project is very satisfying. What is really interesting is that hack silver was normally stored in quite large quantities and an example of this was the Cuerdale hoard discovered in May 1840 comprising of 8,500 pieces of silver and weighing in at almost 40KG. The question now remains whether the piece of Viking silver is part of a much larger hoard of such material, or a casual loss. I intend to put all of my efforts into trying to locate further pieces of silver to back up this theory. But most importantly it proves that the Vikings were here." For obvious reasons James is keeping the location of his latest discoveries a closely guarded secret but he has already informed the finds liaison officer for Merseyside and Greater Manchester of his recovery of the artefact. As well as finding the Viking silver James also recovered a Bronze Age flint blade and a scabbard hook from the middle ages used to suspend a sword from the waist of its owner. This example is highly decorated with animal heads.
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