Treasure hotspots in England

There is a report on the BBC that identifies "The best places in England for unearthing lost treasure" (Laurence Cawley, BBC News 17 January 2016). The report claims: "Research by the BBC has revealed Norfolk as the best spot for treasure hunters."

The report is full of praise for the Portable Antiquities Scheme:

In the 1980s, archaeologists and metal detectorists were at war over the nation's subterranean heritage. 

But in the 20 years since the PAS set out clear guidance for the reporting of finds by the public, the relationship between responsible detectorists and archaeologists has thawed. 

It so happens that Norfolk features in the Nighthawking Survey (2009) and in my discussion of PAS ("The Portable Antiquities Scheme and the Treasure Act: Protecting the Archaeology of England and Wales?", 2010). I also gave Norfolk as an example in my 2009 response to the Survey.

The BBC report also gives a little more detail of the "hundreds of holes" at the site of the Roman "Saxon Shore" fort at Bradwell in Essex: "Animals don't dig using a flat-sided object, Nor do they pat the ground back on top of the hole or take out a ring-pull and leave it by the side of the hole."