Magnet fisherman finds a Civil War sword within the River Stour

A magnet fisherman has been left ‘gobsmacked’ after he discovered a 400-year-old sword within the depths of a murky river.

Stephen Hill pulled the 3ft lengthy blade up from the River Stour in Dorset when looking out the water for relics.

He believes the peerlessly intact sword – 1m in size from pommel to tip – could date again to the Civil War within the seventeenth century and probably may have belonged to a cavalryman.

The 29-year-old has logged the merchandise along with his native Finds Liaison Officer and will probably be correctly examined to find out its significance and worth.

Mr Hill was magnet fishing on the banks of the River Stour at Sturminster Newton on the time he made the invention. 

Stephen Hill is pictured admiring the 400-year-old sword he discovered within the River Stour

The completely intact relic – 1m in size from pommel to tip – could date again to the Civil War

He mentioned: ‘I knew I had one thing on the magnet, at first I assumed it was a chunk of rebar or scaffolding which is kind of a standard discover.

‘Then I noticed the cross guard and I used to be a little bit gobsmacked, I knew this was one thing particular.’

Mr Hill, from Dorchester, has been magnet fishing for about 5 years and is captivated with historical past.

He mentioned: ‘I estimate the sword is 4 to 6 hundred years previous and is probably some kind of cavalry sword.

‘A couple of novice historians have seen it and mentioned it has a single innovative and what seems to have probably been a basket hilt that has since rusted away over the time it has been within the water.

‘This would level in direction of it probably being from the civil warfare interval utilized by cavalry.

‘I’ve not tried to scrub it as a result of it is extremely delicate however as soon as it’s it may reveal additional details about a date and probably even assist hyperlink it to a battle or particular person.

He thought it was scaffolding however realised it was a sword when he observed the crossguard

The sword was discovered by Mr Hill when he was magnet fishing within the river in Dorset

‘I’ve contacted the Finds Liaison Officer and can know extra after they get again to me.’

‘This is the rationale why I began magnet fishing, for these form of as soon as in a lifetime discoveries – it was thrilling.’

With his personal YouTube channel, Mr Hill paperwork all his finds and has beforehand found a number of explosives.

His finds have included World War One grenades with the pin nonetheless in and an anti-tank shell that noticed the bomb squad known as to detonate the discover earlier this 12 months.

He usually fishes utilizing a high-powered magnet which usually sees him choose up bottles, glass and litter from the river.

But he hopes the sword will make it into the Dorset Museum as soon as specialists have analysed the sword.