The proposed institute could prove to be of great benefit for portable antiquities, archaeology and the wider public. This body would promote responsible metal detecting as a technique that contributes to the understanding, conservation and protection of the historic environment.”īarney Sloane, National Specialist Services Director at Historic England, added: “This project provides an opportunity to build on an increasingly positive relationship between the responsible metal detecting community, archaeologists and other heritage organisations.

Keith said: “The aim of this project is to establish a not-for-profit research and educational body for detectorists. They stayed that night near Broughton Castle at Wroxton Abbey.

Three Spanish silver coins were among those found and are believed to be linked to Queen Henrietta Maria who met with King Charles on the July 13, 1643. He has also made a number of finds including the Civil War hoard at Broughton Castle in Oxfordshire in 1996. In 2019, Keith won the Archaeological Training Forum Award for creating the first ever course focused on skills development for metal detectorists. Keith Westcott, the Oxfordshire metal detectorist behind the project, has 25 years experience of metal detecting and is passionate about ensuring that the archaeological value of metal detecting is fully realised. It will also support voluntary self-regulation and provide a platform for detectorists to demonstrate their competence and skills to others. The project will explore how best to develop such an institute and help to establish an agenda for best practice as well as determining how this can be taught as part of a national training programme. Working with archaeologists and others in the heritage sector, the ‘Institute of Detectorists’ aims to provide training opportunities to promote responsible metal detecting and examine how detecting has been beneficial in the investigation of archaeological sites and landscapes. A £50,000 grant from Historic England is a step forward towards the setting up of a new organisation to support and train metal detectorists in the West Midlands.

Metal detecting in the west midlands