Location Guide • West Midlands
Metal Detecting in Shropshire
A border county with rich Welsh Marches heritage. Roman Watling Street West, Offa’s Dyke, and medieval castle estates give Shropshire excellent detecting potential in its river valleys.
Top Site Type
Severn valley arable farmland
Best Detector Type
Multi-frequency
Region
West Midlands
Recorded finds · Portable Antiquities Scheme
Metal Detecting Finds Recorded in Shropshire
9,917 archaeological objects have been officially recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme in Shropshire.
Shropshire Finds by Historical Period
Most Commonly Found Objects in Shropshire
Coin 3,141Brooch 810Buckle 595Vessel 541Token 450Weight 277Spindle Whorl 270Mount 234
Post Medieval and Medieval material leads Shropshire's recorded finds, with coin the most common object type.
Recent Shropshire Metal Detecting Finds
Data and images from the Portable Antiquities Scheme (finds.org.uk), © The Trustees of the British Museum, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Figures reflect objects voluntarily recorded by finders and do not represent all finds made in the county. Last updated July 2026.
Shropshire Metal Detecting Clubs
PAS Analysis
Of the 9,917 objects recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme in Shropshire, the Post Medieval period is the strongest (3,451 finds), followed by Medieval, Roman. The most commonly recorded objects are coin, brooch and buckle, with coin alone accounting for 3,141 records.
Geology, Site Types & Detecting Tips in Shropshire
Geology
Silurian and Precambrian rocks in the south and west. Glacial till across much of the county. River Severn, Tern and Teme valley alluvium. Limestone in the east near Bridgnorth.
Site Types to Target
Severn valley arable farmland, Welsh Marches border farmland, fields near Watling Street West, medieval castle estate land
What You Can Find
Roman military material near Viroconium (Wroxeter), Iron Age Cornovii tribe material, medieval Marches castle finds, Bronze Age metalwork in the Severn valley
Notable Discoveries
Wroxeter (Viroconium Cornoviorum) was the fourth largest city in Roman Britain – its hinterland continues to produce finds of the highest quality.
Detecting Tips
Wroxeter’s hinterland is underdetected relative to its significance. The Severn valley between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth is consistently productive. Medieval Marches material is understudied.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I go metal detecting in Shropshire?
You can detect on private land in Shropshire with the landowner’s permission. You must avoid scheduled monuments, SSSIs and other protected sites. Joining a local club is the easiest way to reach permissioned land.
Is metal detecting legal in Shropshire?
Yes. Metal detecting is legal in Shropshire 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.
Who is the Finds Liaison Officer for Shropshire?
Shropshire 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.
What finds turn up in Shropshire?
Shropshire has 9,917 objects recorded with the PAS, with the Post Medieval period the most common. The most commonly recorded objects are coin, brooch and buckle, with coin alone accounting for 3,141 records.
Sources & Last Checked
PAS data from finds.org.uk, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Last checked July 2026.
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Detecting in Shropshire?
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