UK Beach Law

[Mentez]

Hi all

I've recently purchased a Sovereign GT and while it's brilliant at fields here (the UK) I believe it's the best beach detector going?

Well, my question really is - Where do I stand legally in regards to just parking up at a remote beach or public beach and setting off with the detector? I seem to recall that the beach is "Crown property" (It's all owned by the Queen) but I'm not sure?

Any help from UK beach detectorists would me much appreciated. The whole of the Lincolnshire coast awaits!

 

[BigDan]

Why don't you have a little revolt over there. Worked for us in the USA in 1776

 

[Mentez]

Good point. And one I've felt like carrying out single handed from time to time!

Though to be honest, we ended up with an outdated bunch of thicko's with too much influence for their moronic brains to handle, as our most powerful family................the rebellion got you the Bush's. Not a huge step up the evolutionary ladder.

 

[thevacantface]

Technically speaking, I think the whole of the country is considered crown property isn't it? Just play dumb if you are ever stopped, be courteous and I'm sure they will just tell you not to do it again if its something you aren't supposed to do.

 

[BH_Landstar_]

Public beaches like Brighton, Littlehampton etc ..... are open public land, there is no laws to stop you on them, the same with parks, just fill your holes in on them. Common Land is also open, like Wimbledon Common, Mitcham Common, Streatham Common (these are in the London area).

School grounds are a different kettle of fish tho, you need to ask the caretaker if you can metal detect the grounds.

 

[Mentez]

Many thanks.

I've done a bit of research and it looks as though (From the Crown Estate maps) about 80% of beaches are owned by the Queen. You have to obtain a permit and follow strict rules. The boundary's even extend miles and miles up large rivers! Here's a link, if any of you are interested in the draconian and medieval outdated UK law - http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/metal-detecting-terms-conditions and here is the UK shore map of my part of the UK with all the red indicating the area of shore which is technically and legally owned by the Queen. - http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/metal_east.pdf

I notice that in the law "All property" found on the Queens estate is technically her property. Nice! They do begrudgingly offer to do a 50/50 split though with the "finder" should there be anything valuable. Oh, and in accordance with the usual Portable Antiquities scheme, I have to declare everything over 300 years old and all precious metals no matter how old (I think I've got this bit right).

Any space in the USA for me???

 

[GaBeachsweeper]

Perhaps not a quantum leap but infinitely less inbred I'm sure.

 

[Mentez]

Possibly, although I wouldn't trust either family with so much as a spoon in case they cut themselves using it.

 

[grumpyolman]

If they'd just use that spoon, in a manner for what it was NOT intended, and a took a bit too much of the powder within, we all might benefit from their adventure. If any of the finds should belong to the Queen let her come a bloody find it.
Point well taken. The revolution, leading to 8 years of Bush then recession, didn't really help that much did it? If you decide to do something decisive about the issue you might put my name down on the list to provide assistance where I may.
jim

 

[darkmark1967]

Hi Mentez,
whereabouts are you based? I'm a beach detector from Norfolk and will help in any way I can. The main thing about living in such a history rich country is preserving that history. Recording those finds that you make with the PAS can only help to extend our knowledge about the past in the UK. If we want to keep the archaeologist's on our side recording has to be done.
I've just had my licence renewed to go on crown estate foreshore, all it took was an E-mail and I had my licence back straight away. Took less than 5 minutes and it was completely FREE!
Iain Mills, who runs the foreshore rights is also very helpful answering any queries and helping out with larger scale maps if you request them.
Now, I don't want anybody to think I'm a royalist, far from it. I live very close to a large royal estate which is completely out of bounds to me and my detector. This I find totally frustrating as there is at least 2 roman villas and 3 or more deserted medieval villages there, and the history (i.e. finds) are slowly being destroyed by the plough and th fertiliser thats poured upon the ground year in, year out . So, getting something for nothing really isn't that bad a deal after all.
happy hunting,
Mark

 

[grahamp]

How much land containing millions of objects are lost each year to development? forever!! Take the Olympic games for instance, who cares in that situation??

 

[worthy]

detecting on hampstead heath (london) in the eighties , just dug a pocket spill of 2 victorian shillings and one sixpence ,a guy saying he was from the council told us it was not allowed and clear off and dont come back. pity -- the finds were good!!!

 

[JOHNMARKHAM]

wow im glad we dont have those issues...

 

[Mentez]

Yeah, the law can be a pain John, that is for sure.

However, it's a small price to pay for being able to detect in our country and have the chance to find some of the amazing things that crop up from time to time. We have nearly 3,000 years of metalworking by humans in the UK and there are some wonderful, wonderful things in our soil. Here are a couple of links just to give you an idea of some of the things that can be found in the UK with the cheapest of detectors......the first find I've linked was apparently found by a guy with a $100 detector who had been detecting for less than a week....he now stand to get half of the

 

[redbird]

I don't get it with you guys, You still have beers singing the to the queen, your taxes go to keep up her toiletries, This is 2010 why do you tolerate this She is the same as anyone else retire her and this monarchy already

 

[Mentez]

I don't get it with you guys, You still have beers singing the to the queen, your taxes go to keep up her toiletries, This is 2010 why do you tolerate this She is the same as anyone else retire her and this monarchy already

Questions most British people ask themselves Redbird. The answer is probably that without her we wouldn't get so many American tourists paying their hard earned dollars to walk around the tourist traps. I would guess that she probably earns more for the UK than she claims in taxes. Don't forget that the UK is a really historic place and people are proud of the history here, the Queen kind of embodies it.

The Royal family are just figures of fun, no more than a Euro-Disney with real castles and real stories that go back 1600 years. I met Princess Anne once, for a work meeting. Talking to her and looking into her eyes was like looking though time, a weird experience, after all, how many people do you know that can trace their family tree back a thousand years?...and how many of those ancestors do you know a lot about??

The Kings of England used to mean something, something very deep rooted and important to this little Island. Without trying to sound patronising, a USA citizen probably won't understand. I can't put it any other way.

 

[redbird]

Well I guess if you can live with it its understandable, But Im just looking at it the wrong way I guess ,but to have someone claim its all hers that's not reasonable, Sooner or later I expect it to come this way, Because it looks like king Obama is going that way if we stand still here in america and do nothing,

 

[UK Brian]

You can download a permit and should read the infomation at the following site http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/metal-detecting

All free at the moment. The original suggestion was that every beach would need its own permit and the cost would be