Someone has dumped rubbish right in front of two notices that warn the penalty for so doing is up to £50,000. So what?
Well, the adjoining field happens to be where the Staffordshire hoard was found. The only warning notice there is shown below. It doesn’t quote the penalty for stealing any remaining artefacts – but it’s not £50,000 it’s £5,000.
As you can see, the crop has just been cut. It’s peak time for the use of detectors. Some artefacts probably remain (archaeologists found a lot the second time they looked and intend to go a third time). Meantime there has of course been illegal digging there (some of which we photographed). It’s hardly surprising. If some people risk a £50,000 fine to save a £60 landfill charge others will risk a £5,000 fine to detect at a spot which could contain riches.
Perhaps hidden security is in place, we don’t know, but self-evidently it’s insufficient – and as for visible measures, a single, currently overgrown notice at the site of the world’s greatest Anglo Saxon assemblage is surely inadequate? Will anything be done? Probably not but if more holes appear we’ll publish photographs of them and mention the matter again.
The Heritage Journal 
10 comments
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25/08/2013 at 09:46
Kerry Whitehouse
Is the location of this site common knowledge?! And obviously I can’t read the sign on the fence as its overgrown, but is that a sign about what’s been found in the field and the penalties regarding digging there?! Why not send up a flare and tell everyone! Unbelievable…
25/08/2013 at 10:17
heritageaction
The sign simply says the field is being monitored but although initially efforts were made to keep the site secret it’s location unfortunately has become common knowledge.
25/08/2013 at 10:31
Kerry Whitehouse
Is hiring a private security company to monitor the site at night a viable option here?
25/08/2013 at 10:44
heritageaction
Possibly a lesser or electronic version of that is already in place. Money is the issue with the full version. There’s a discussion of it here
http://paul-barford.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/guarding-sites.html
25/08/2013 at 11:48
graham
Mr barford we will meet soon and thenwe can have A PROPER CHAT .just me and you see you soon Graham xx
25/08/2013 at 12:07
Nigel S
Mr Chetwynd, I take it that’s a physical threat, like the late-night telephoned one you delivered to me.
Paul isn’t a member of Heritage Action but I’ll pass it on to him.
25/08/2013 at 13:22
graham
Take it exactly how you want to but its a promise to be honest.
25/08/2013 at 13:33
Nigel S
Thank you for being so clear.
16/10/2014 at 14:06
Andy P
The field is obviously carefully watched, I went up there a few weeks ago. Within minutes of parking the car someone was over to find out what I was doing.
04/08/2015 at 05:56
heritageaction
I’ve been a few times and no-one approached me.