Section 42 Consent for Surveys on Scheduled Monuments
Consent is required to operate a metal detector on a scheduled monument under Section 42 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.
A metal detector is any device designed or adapted for detecting or locating metal or mineral and includes geophysical survey equipment.
Consent is also required for the use of a metal detector during any archaeological investigation for which scheduled monument consent (SMC) has been granted.
Consent is required to remove any object of archaeological or historical interest which has been discovered by a metal detector.
Historic England is responsible for administering the application process and issuing Section 42 consent. Applications for Section 42 consent should be made using the ‘Application for Section 42 Consent’ form and submitted to the Business team in the relevant Historic England regional office.
It is against the law to use a metal detector or remove an object found with a metal detector on a scheduled monument without consent from Historic England.
If you wish to apply for consent, please read ‘Historic England Guidance for Section 42 Consent’ before completing and submitting the application form. This explains what information you will need to include in your application, and sets out the reporting, archiving and signposting conditions and requirements.
We encourage applicants to contact the relevant Historic England regional office for an informal discussion at an early stage when considering these activities.
Metal detecting on scheduled monuments
Due to the harm which can be caused to scheduled monuments, it is only in exceptional circumstances that Historic England would grant consent for metal detecting on a monument.
Normally this would only be where it is part of a recognised archaeological project, with agreed research aims and objectives, and appropriate provision for the recording, reporting and archiving of any material which is encountered
Historic England would not support detecting as part of metal detecting rallies or other similar events on scheduled monuments.
For all metal detecting, it is essential that it is undertaken with landowner permission and in accordance with the current Code of Practice for Responsible Metal Detecting, including liaison with the relevant Finds Liaison Officer and finds reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme as set out in that Code.
There are also additional rules and considerations related to metal detecting on land under agri-environmental stewardship schemes, and detectorists should be aware of the need to not conflict with other permissions and legal requirements.
You can also find out about applications for Scheduled Monument Consent.
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