6th December 2005, 01:41 PM
If the site is being destroyed by ploughing and EH is unwilling to schedule (a recurrant theme!)then shouldn't the detectorists ( the ones recording finds with PAS) be encouraged to salvage the stuff in the plough-soil before it goes to individuals who don't want to record the finds?
It sounds like a bad situation all round, and one probably being replicated throughout the UK. For me the ideal situation would be preservation in-situ, scheduling and no detecting (and proper enforcement). Next best should be archaeological excavation in conjunction with a programme of detection (as David suggests). Worst of all would be exclusion of responsible detectorist while irresponsible ones do what they do.
It sounds like a bad situation all round, and one probably being replicated throughout the UK. For me the ideal situation would be preservation in-situ, scheduling and no detecting (and proper enforcement). Next best should be archaeological excavation in conjunction with a programme of detection (as David suggests). Worst of all would be exclusion of responsible detectorist while irresponsible ones do what they do.