PAS and Finds in Eastern England

© David Gill, 2021

I have been doing some work on the results of the RSA Heritage Index (2020) with a focus, in part, on eastern England. The Index includes a section on 'reported archaeological finds' drawn from the PAS dataset. It becomes immediately obvious that considerably more finds are being reported for Norfolk and Suffolk than for the four other counties of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, and Hertfordshire. (Looking outside the region, West Sussex and East Sussex have a combined total of 27,000 finds; and the whole of Wales just over 63,000 finds.) 

What does this mean?

The recorders for Norfolk and Suffolk are to be praised for their recording of over 180,000 finds. The other four counties barely make 64,000 together. 

Does this mean that more finds are made and reported in Norfolk and Suffolk?

Does this mean that finds are under-reported (and therefore not recorded) in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex and Hertfordshire?

Is the implication that there is more activity in East Anglia than other parts of the region?

How does such information distort the way that these largely de-contextualised finds are used for research projects? 

Reported archaeological finds in Essex

Source: RSA Heritage Index derived from PAS.

I have been working through the data included in the RSA Heritage Index for Essex. The section on 'Museums, Archives, and Artefacts' includes an element 'Archaeological finds reported' derived from the Portable Antiquities Scheme. This presents just over 16,000 finds for the different parts of the county. (This is dwarfed by more than 60,000 finds reported for Suffolk.)

These finds contribute to the overall heritage score for each of these administrative districts in Essex (and other parts of the UK).

Looting of archaeological sites in East Anglia

BBC Look East 17 October 2017

BBC Look East has covered the problem of looting on archaeological sites in East Anglia (October 17, 2017). The report covers the problem of illegal metal-detecting on the site of Great Chesterford, the response from the police (including PC Andy Long of Essex Constabulary) and landowners, as well as from metal-detectorists. Police will be installing cameras at key sites, as well as deploying drones to identify criminal activity.

The message that needs to get through is that archaeological contexts are being lost, and key pieces are not being reported.

The programme is available here for 24 hours.

BBC Look East 17 October 2017

Concerns over damage to sites in England

Westminster © David Gill

The All Party Committee on Cultural Heritage was taking evidence earlier this month. Lord Renfrew chaired the session.

One of the topics discussed related to the extent of damage to archaeological sites, including those that are scheduled, in England through the inappropriate use of metal-detectors. One senior museum figure from East Anglia expressed his concern, and I was able to share information about damage to one of the Late Roman Saxon Shore forts at Bradwell on Sea in Essex.

It would have been helpful if two senior curators from a major national museum in Bloomsbury had contributed to this part of the discussion.

Metal-detecting at Roman Saxon-Shore Fort

(c) David Gill

BBC Inside Out East has recorded the conversation between police and a metal-detectorist at the Roman Saxon Shore Fort at Bradwell on Sea in Essex.

Listen here.

Bradwell Saxon Shore Fort looted

Bradwell on Sea, Essex © David Gill

The Roman fort at Bradwell on Essex formed part of the Saxon Shore series of fortifications stretching from Portchester in Hampshire to Brancaster in Norfolk. The site of Bradwell is stunning with its views over the Essex salt marsh. A Saxon chapel was built over the fort's west gate and includes reused Roman material.

It now appears this historically significant site has been the target of metal-detectorists. It is reported today (Cahal Milmo, "'Nighthawks': Tracking the criminals plundering ancient sites with the latest equipment", The Independent December 30, 2015):

Another Roman site at Bradwell in Essex was attacked earlier this month, leaving the landscape pockmarked with tell-tale holes.

Essex police are conducting Operation Chronos at the moment, and PC Andy Long is quoted in the report:

People in this country love their heritage. If someone came along and started removing the stones from Stonehenge, there would be outrage. When a Saxon necklace is taken out of the ground illegally it is the same thing. You are changing the story of the landscape.

This deliberate damage to archaeological sites will continue until a clear message is delivered that such actions are unacceptable.

Operation Chronos in Essex

The police in Essex have announced the launch of Operation Chronos to combat what is described as nighthawking in the county (Will Lodge, "Essex Police leads national campaign targeting illegal treasure hunters", EADT July 20, 2015).

Assistant Chief Constable Julia Wortley, Essex Police lead on territorial policing, said: “So-called nighthawkers might think they’re no different to people who go metal-detecting for a hobby, but their actions damage the countryside, threaten our heritage and lead to the loss of important and invaluable national artefacts simply to satisfy the greed of a small group of criminals.” 

Pc Andy Long, wildlife, heritage and environmental crime officer at the force, added: “Most people who metal detect as a hobby abide to the law and codes of practice and have a love of the outdoors and history, respecting farmland and other surroundings. 

“Nighthawkers seriously damage that good reputation.”

The article reviews the events surrounding the Twinstead find of gold coins.

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The Danbury Metal Detecting Club

I note that the forthcoming sitcom, 'The Detectorists', will include the fictional Danbury Metal Detecting Club.

Is the name a coincidence?

Danbury Place in Essex was the home of Sofia Disney ffytche, the wife of Dr John Disney of The Hyde.

And archaeologists reading this will know the significance of Disney.