If you are uncertain whether the area of interest falls into any of these categories, relevant designations can be checked using online free mapping called MAGIC GIS.
Please visit their website for more information.
We rely on the goodwill of the metal-detecting community to fully record and report their finds with the archaeological authorities. When they are, this must be done in accordance with the law and best practice. When finds are taken out of context, a piece of the jigsaw is lost, making it harder to tell the stories of our places and care for the nation’s heritage.Īrchaeologists, historians and those tasked to look after our nation’s rich heritage prefer that objects from our past are not removed through metal detecting.
METAL DETECTING FULL
Finds are most important within their context – their relationship to structures, deposits and the full range of finds – all contributing to the wider understanding of a place, an event, a site or landscape. But when objects are not recorded this potential is lost. When finds are recorded and shared with other people, they help tell these stories. However, it also recognises that potentially serious negative impacts can result from the unstructured collection and recording of historic material.Īrchaeological objects are a powerful link to our past, and metal detecting can play a valuable role in discovering these stories of the local area. The New Forest National Park Authority recognises the important contribution that archaeological objects of all types, including metal-detected material, can make to increasing our understanding of the past.