In April 2022, a ‘once in a lifetime” British archaeological discovery was made of a rare bed burial, accompanied by grave goods, known as the Harpole Treasure. So important and so vital was it to be carefully guarded from theft, that in every hurried phone call and messaging made during those first few days no-one involved even mentioned the word ‘gold’. Even more dramatic is the fact that this was found at the 11th-hour, on almost the last day of the eight-week dig. Speed was crucial and the day after the discovery two experts from the Museum of London Archaeology took the train to Northamptonshire to review the finds. The grave site turned out to be a rare seventh-century bed
