Metal-detecting at Castlerigg Stone Circle

Video shot taken inside the circle. Posted April 2015.

The Castlerigg stone circle is located near Keswick in Cumbria. Aurbrey Burl describes is as 'one of the earliest circles in Europe' (Burl, no. 18). The site is under the guardianship of English Heritage and is managed by the National Trust. (It was taken into State care in 1883.)

A video posted on YouTube in April 2015 [12 minutes] noted what appears to be metal-detecting activity on the site, including within the circle.

The stone circle was "... one of the earliest Ancient Scheduled Monuments ever designated in the UK, giving it special legal protection".

The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 states:

If a person uses a metal detector in a protected place without the written consent of the Commission (in a case of a place situated in England) or of the Secretary of State (in any other case)] he shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction ...

This is yet another case of a nationally significant site, and one in public care, being targeted by metal-detectors. Some would, no doubt, call this 'heritage crime'.

I am grateful to Paul Barford for drawing my attention to this video.

For a view of the site in its setting:

For scenic splendour, Castlerigg stone circle is very, very hard to beat. Drone pic from today. @lakedistrictnpa pic.twitter.com/HvbtnsRqrl
— Iain Cameron (@theiaincameron) April 7, 2015