Predominantly chalk North Downs with the Weald clay to the south. Limited arable farmland given the suburban pressure, but the Downs and Thames corridor can be productive.
FROM THE PORTABLE ANTIQUITIES SCHEME
Selected archaeological finds from the PAS records for Surrey.
ROMANAn incomplete cast copper alloy Roman brooch of Colchester derivative Harlow double-lugged type dating to the first century AD.
Explore this findPhoto: Surrey County Council · CC-BY
Licence label and image metadata on the linked PAS record.
ROMANA gold cosmetic spoon with a suspension loop and therefore likely part of a set of probable Roman date c. AD 43-410.
Explore this findPhoto: The Portable Antiquities Scheme · CC-BY
Licence label and image metadata on the linked PAS record.
North Downs chalk gives good preservation. Weald clay in the south is heavy. Thames terrace gravels in the north near Spelthorne. Greensand ridge between Downs and Weald.
North Downs chalk arable, Thames terrace farmland near Staines and Egham, fields adjacent to Roman roads (Stane Street, North Downs Way)
Roman material along Stane Street, medieval material on the Downs, Bronze Age Thames finds, post-medieval material near the Thames
Stane Street (London to Chichester) crosses Surrey and produces consistent Roman finds. The Thames near Staines has produced Bronze Age material.
Competition for the limited good farmland is high. Build relationships carefully through clubs. The Roman road corridors are the most reliable regardless of other research.
You can detect on private land in Surrey 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.
Yes. Metal detecting is legal in Surrey 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.
Surrey 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 18,268 database records representing 22,256 recorded objects for Surrey, 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.
Check the latest adopted rules with the council managing your chosen site. Proposed byelaws are not necessarily the rules currently in force.
PAS data from finds.org.uk. Last checked 2 November 2026.
Submit your club, suggest a correction or share a great spot – help make this guide the best local resource for detectorists in Surrey.
Submit a ListingSuggest an Edit
