From the Somerset Levels (which have produced remarkable Bronze Age material) to the Quantock Hills and Mendip limestone – Somerset is one of England’s most archaeologically diverse counties.
FROM THE PORTABLE ANTIQUITIES SCHEME
Selected archaeological finds from the PAS records for Somerset.
ROMANA Roman copper alloy sestertius of Faustina the Younger (AD 147 - 175) under Marcus Aurelius (AD 161 - 180), dating to c. AD 161 - 176.
Explore this findPhoto: South West Heritage Trust · CC-BY
Licence label and image metadata on the linked PAS record.
POST MEDIEVALA copper alloy, rectangular, probable furniture mount, dating to c. AD 1700-1850. The object comprises of a rectangular-shaped plate with concave corners and a…
Explore this findPhoto: Birmingham Museums Trust · CC-BY
Licence label and image metadata on the linked PAS record.
Somerset 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.
Carboniferous limestone (Mendips) excellent preservation. Triassic and Jurassic sandstone in the west and south. Somerset Levels peat – outstanding organic preservation. River valleys productive.
Mendip limestone arable, Taunton Vale farmland, levels hinterland fields, Quantock Hills fringe farmland
Bronze Age hoards from the Levels hinterland, Iron Age material on the Mendips, Roman coins and bronzes from Ilchester area (Lindinis), medieval material from Glastonbury estate
The Shapwick Hoard (9,238 Roman denarii) is the largest Roman coin hoard found in Britain. The Batcombe hoard and numerous Bronze Age finds from the Levels confirm Somerset’s exceptional potential.
The area around Glastonbury, Street and Shepton Mallet is extraordinarily rich. Medieval Glastonbury estate land has produced significant ecclesiastical finds. Mendip limestone gives excellent depth.
You can detect on private land in Somerset 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 Somerset 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.
Somerset 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 23,353 database records representing 101,531 recorded objects for Somerset, 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.
North Somerset allows detecting at Weston-super-Mare beach under conditions, but not at certain other council sites. Other Somerset authorities have different rules.
PAS data from finds.org.uk. Last checked 2 November 2026.
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