Standards in Detecting

If you follow a planned and structured approach to Metal Detecting, it not only shows you are
responsible and serious about what you are doing, but also means you have thought about what
you are doing and are dealing with a specific area with a purpose rather than random detecting.

If you then present the information both on the site and the finds in a professional manner, it will
make it more relevant and also more useful to a wider audience of researchers. The detectorist
(you!) will be playing an important part in the provision of information, conservation of the
resource, finds, the site and the surrounding land.

You will also benefit from having a more intimate knowledge of the land you detect on, which
could give you a better understanding of the continuity of use of the land over a period of time

This article has been written with the idea of helping you apply to detect on land farmed under
the Countryside Stewardship agreement - but the ideal is a good standard for a detectorist to
aspire to achieve.

Recommended Link : David Connollys excellent Short Guide to Field Survey, Field Walking
and Detecting Survey

In a Nutshell
If you wish to detect on land currently under the Countryside Stewardship agreement you need to
apply for a permit to do so from Natural England.
This is to make sure that where you detect, that high standards are maintained and that
‘responsible’ detectorist practices are followed.

This is the link to the Natural England website, although its still under development and a lot of
info is still linked back to the founding bodies website - http://www.naturalengland.org.uk

The information required by Natural England is:

• A completed application form

• A copy of the agreement of the agreement holder and landowner, if different
• A map of the area to be surveyed
• Details of the purpose of the activity
• dates during which it will be undertaken
• Details of the methods to be used
• Details of the number of people involved
The permission is also granted to the farmer or agreement holder rather than the metal detectorist
as it is the agreement holders responsibility to make sure that his agreement conditions are
fulfilled. This permission is issued as a one year derogation so will need to be renewed .

If you are granted a permit to detect Natural England will insist you:

• Report all archaeological objects to the Finds Liaison Officer within three months of the
discovery.
• Do not disturb ground nesting birds or other features of ecological significance - there
may be time constraints on some sites to minimise this disturbance
• Record all findspots for all archaeological objects (including those outside of agreement
land) to at least 100 m. square and show all findspots either on a map of at least 1:10,000
scale or provide GPS data.
• Follow the rules of the Treasure Act 1996 and its Code of Practice.
• Work on ground already disturbed and within the plough depth.
• Seek expert help if something large is discovered, or if you think that an artefact is still
within its primary context
• Record and report all non metal finds i.e. pottery etc
• Adhere to the principles laid down in the Codes of Conduct of the NCMD and FID,
whether a member or not.
• NCMD code: http://www.ncmd.co.uk/
• FID Code: http://fid.newbury.net//html/code.htm

The basic information in the plan should include:

A map outlining the extent of the land with scheduled sites, SSI’s or areas of known
archaeological interest highlighted. Your local HER can help provide you with this information
if needed.

What your intentions are towards the farm as a whole as well as any special areas already
highlighted on the map

If the land includes a scheduled site then you should acknowledge this and indicate what safety
no go zone you will leave around it.

If there is a known site of archaeological interest that is currently being ploughed you should
specify if he wished to detect within this area.

If the land is part of a Natural England CSS agreement you should indicate that a permit has been
given as well as outlining the reasons for wanting to detect this particular area. The reason may
be to prove a particular theory or could be to conserve any remaining artefacts from potential
agricultural damage.
Any known history of the site should also be included – here again your HER will be able to help
with any known information

You should keep a diary of activity showing the times you have detected on the land and at what
locations. It should also include finds made, when they were recorded, how they were preserved,
where they are kept and any other relevant information.

You should include a copy of the detecting permission agreement of the agreement holder and
also the landowner, if different.

Conservation of the site

Conservation of the site falls into two caterogies:

• Areas of archeological interest

• Structured methododical detecting has to be practised

Areas of archaeological interest

It is your responsibility to find out what if any parts of the land are scheduled, have SSSI’s or
may have known areas of archaeological interest. Your local HER will be able to help provide
this information

It is your responsibility that these areas are conserved and protected. Scheduled sites and SSSI’s
should be respected as no-go areas. However there is potential for detecting on SSSI’s – you
would need to ask the Conservation Officer dealing with this element of the application totalk to
the regional Historic Environment Advisor

You should apply for a permit to detect any areas under CSS with the detecting plan included to
support application.

In all areas good detecting practise must be followed at all times.

You should note if any land is under CSS for reasons other than archaeological activity and you
should find out what other environmental considerations need to be made - for example are rare
flora and fauna being protected? If so it is the responsibility of you to find out what care should
be taken in those areas or whether they should be avoided

Structured methododical detecting

Have a disciplined approach to contextual indictors such as top soil and sub soil levels.
Record any indications of physical remains and if found, you should stop detecting until advise is
sought from an archaeologist. You shouldn’t intrude into archaeological layers – detecting is the
recovery of artefacts in context in the disturbed top soil
On random searches for scattered finds a looser approach to detecting can be practised, however
you should take care to recognise contextual indicators and signs of physical remains

Conservation of the resource

Although it is impossible to place a definite figure on the number of artefacts present in any
given location, it has to be noted that by the very nature of recovering the finds, the resource is
being depleted through the removal of finds by detecting.

There are two ways of looking at this :

• A productive site where a track record of finds have already been made - perhaps there
once a representative selection of finds has been made and recorded any further
investigation of the site will lead to a depletion of the resource – should you stop?
• An unknown site or speculative field search where the depletion of the resource will not
have a marked effect on a known site but could add positive information to other sites in
the area and on a broader scale – carry on?

Conservation of the find

Once you have made a find has been made, its now your responsibility for the preservation and
storage of the find.

You need to decide whether the preservation and storage is within your capabilities or whether
professional advice or services should be sought.

Private ownership of the find is a political/ moral issue and is not the issue in question in this
article. The safe keeping of the find is the main issue and you feel that the care of any particular
artefact can be better served outside of your keeping, then this should be explored.

If you find you are able to provide suitable care for the find then this should not be an issue in
the short term - However the long term custody of the find is an issue that needs to be
considered.

Consideration of single finds and collections and their care after death for example, must be
considered and arrangements made in advance. This needs to be recorded and there are several
avenues open, Ownership may pass to a family member, a museum, or a private collection.

Conservation of Information
Conservation of the information that a find and its find spot may hold is every bit as important as
the find itself.
Recording with PAS is essential at whatever level Structured Metal Detecting is practised.

For items or information that PAS will not deal with, its worth building a good rapport with the
local HER – they will be interested in scatters of building materials, different colour of soil, non
metallic finds like pottery or oyster shells associated with the metallic finds scatters or scatters of
material with no metallic finds in association as well as flints/stone tools.

Findspots should be plotted with GPS equipment or NGR

Many thanks to Peter McCrone, Historic Environment Advisor with Natural England for his help
with this article