A county of dramatic landscapes with deep Bronze Age and prehistoric heritage. Acidic granite soils mean metal preservation is a challenge, but river valleys and coastal areas can be productive.
FROM THE PORTABLE ANTIQUITIES SCHEME
Selected archaeological finds from the PAS records for Cornwall.
ROMANIncomplete cast copper alloy Romano-Celtic dragonesque plate brooch in the form of a horse or dragon wearing a caparison or decorated blanket and touching…
Explore this findPhoto: Royal Institution of Cornwall · CC-BY
Licence label and image metadata on the linked PAS record.
MEDIEVALA complete copper-alloy seal matrix of medieval date, about AD 1300 -1400. The die of the matrix is circular with a tapering, hexagonally faceted,…
Explore this findPhoto: All rights reserved · CC-BY
Licence label and image metadata on the linked PAS record.
No county-linked FLO profile is listed here. Browse the FLO directory to check reporting contacts and area coverage.
Cornwall has a coastline, and beach detecting follows different rules to farmland. Most foreshore between the high and low water marks in England is Crown Estate land, and the Crown Estate operates a general permission for recreational detecting on much of its managed foreshore, though you should check the current terms. Council-owned beaches often need the local authority’s permission, and some beaches are privately owned or leased. Always check for scheduled monuments, SSSIs and local byelaws before detecting, and never detect where it is signposted as prohibited.
Granite moorland (Bodmin Moor, West Penwith) has acidic soils that are poor for metal preservation. Coastal slate and shale. River valley alluvium offers better preservation.
River valley farmland, coastal fields above cliff lines, fields near ancient track ways and Bronze Age settlements
Bronze Age tin and copper mining tools, Iron Age material, medieval pewter and coins in the river valleys, post-medieval maritime artefacts near the coast
The Trewhiddle Hoard (Viking-age silver) is the most famous Cornish find. Bronze Age metalwork occasionally surfaces near mining areas.
Expect poorer preservation than in eastern England. Concentrate on river valleys where alluvial sediment protects material. Avoid the granite moors – finds are rare and acidic.
You can detect on private land in Cornwall with the landowner’s permission, and on much of the Crown Estate foreshore if you are on the coast. You must avoid scheduled monuments, SSSIs and other protected sites. Joining a local club is the easiest way to reach permissioned land.
Yes. Metal detecting is legal in Cornwall on land where you have the landowner’s permission, as long as you avoid protected sites and follow the law on reporting treasure and recording finds.
Cornwall is covered by a Portable Antiquities Scheme Finds Liaison Officer who records finds made by the public. See the FLO section on this page for contact details, or search finds.org.uk.
PAS lists 11,000 database records representing 15,760 recorded objects for Cornwall, checked 2 November 2026. These are recorded entries rather than a count of every find made. The period and object-type categories shown in the PAS section are selected, incomplete lists.
Yes, on Cornwall Council’s specifically listed beach areas and within their conditions. Its policy does not extend that permission to its other open spaces or grassed verges.
PAS data from finds.org.uk. Last checked 2 November 2026.
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