LEGISE Pilot Search: A New Chapter in Responsible Detecting and Landscape Recording

On Sunday 22nd March 2026, something a little different happened in the detecting world. The first-ever LEGISE Search pilot event brought together detectorists, archaeologists, and recording specialists for a day that wasn’t just about what came out of the ground, but what we could learn from it. At its core was a simple idea: recording our finds properly through landscape recording is just as important as finding them.

[fg]jpg|Fig 1 – The LEGISE Search Pilot Event.|Image[/fg]

[fg]jpg|Fig 2 - Hammered coin still in the clod.|Image[/fg]

[pg60]Landscape Explorers in South East England (LEGISE) has been around for over 40 years and has long been a strong voice for the hobby. From its early days pushing back against proposed restrictions in the late 1970s, right through to today, it has always focused on working alongside archaeologists and supporting the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS).

That same approach was very much at the heart of this event. LEGISE Search, while separate from LEGISE, follows the same path. It is about promoting responsible detecting, but also, about helping to secure the future of the hobby by bringing people together, sharing knowledge, and doing things the right way. This pilot event felt like the first step towards something that could grow into a regular fixture: well organised, welcoming, and focused on best practice.

[fg]png|Fig 3 - Data map showing the spread of finds and linked periods - notice the red points for the Roman period - mostly in the same stretch!|Image[/fg]

[fg]jpg|Fig 4 - David Barwell and Andrew Richardson (FLO) opening the event.|Image[/fg]

[pg61]You can begin to see where people might have lived, worked, farmed, or moved through the landscape. The recording isn’t complicated. One of the strengths of the day was showing that recording can be simple, practical, and something everyone can do. And when it’s done properly, it can benefit everyone: detectorists, archaeologists, landowners, and PAS, because the information is there for the future, not just the finder or to be put into a drawer and lost forever.

The recording team and organisers were busy all day, helping with identification and making sure finds were properly logged. Having Andrew Richardson, the Kent FLO, on-site made a big difference too. It meant things could be dealt with there and then, including Treasure cases. I found a silver cufflink that needed reporting as Treasure, and I was able to complete the treasure form on-site and hand the cufflink to Andrew at the same time, which made it straightforward and hassle-free. It’s the kind of setup that just works!

One of the main themes of the day was landscape recording. The aim is to record items over 200 years old, record where they are found via Global Positioning System (GPS) or What3words (W3W), and then, once the data is in, examine how they relate to one another across the field. Over time, those dots on a map start to tell a story.

A Landscape Rich in History

What really stood out from the day was the range of finds. The field clearly has a long history, with activity going back thousands of years.

The earliest material came in the form of worked flint, pottery, and a Bronze Age axe fragment, small pieces of evidence, but enough to show that people were active here all that time ago. From the Iron Age, one of the highlights was a Kentish Primary Series potin dating to around 150 BC, found by David Holman. Given his background and expertise in Iron Age coinage, it felt like one of those rare moments where the right person finds the right object.

Most of the finds, though, were Roman. There was a steady stream of coins throughout the day, radiates, nummi, denarii, along with other artefacts. Several emperors were represented, including Constantine, Carausius, and Claudius. When the Roman data is presented on the map as red points, it’s easy to see they certainly sit within the middle section and spread out across, nearly in a line.

There was also a small but important Anglo-Saxon presence, including a sceat, hinting that the area didn’t just go quiet after the Roman period. The medieval finds added another layer, with buckles, mounts, jetons, and hammered coins all turning up. These are the sorts of objects that give a glimpse into everyday life.

From the early post-medieval period, there were trade tokens, Tudor and Stuart coins, and various domestic items. One of the more memorable finds was a 16th-century merchant’s ring with a ship design, a great piece that really stands out. Later finds included more recent coins, agricultural items, and that silver cufflink, which has been recorded as Treasure. Altogether, it’s a site that has clearly seen continuous or repeated use over a very long period.

When all the finds are plotted together, the picture becomes much clearer. Certain areas of the field produced more Roman material, suggesting focal points of activity, while earlier finds were more scattered. The later material reflects how the land continued to be used and worked over time. This is where landscape recording really proves its worth. Without it, you just have a collection of objects. With it, you start to understand the place itself.

[fg]jpg|Fig 5 - RB CARAUSIUS ANTONINIANUS PAX LONDON REF:RIC V.5 2174.|Image[/fg]

[pg62]More Than Just Detecting

Another positive from the day was the interaction with the public. Local residents and passers-by stopped to ask questions and see what was going on, which opened some good conversations and helped build connections with the local communities. This kind of engagement is becoming increasingly important. It helps show the hobby in a positive light and reinforces that, when done properly, metal detecting has a real role to play in understanding the past.

The LEGISE Search pilot wasn’t just a good day’s detecting, it felt like a glimpse of where the hobby should be heading. It showed that you don’t have to choose between finding things and recording them properly - the two can easily go hand in hand. In fact, one makes the other more valuable. If this event is anything to go by, LEGISE Search has the potential to set a new standard for organised detecting, bringing together experience, good practice, and a shared interest in the history beneath our feet. Most importantly, it showed that when everything comes together, the people, the knowledge, and the right approach, the results speak for themselves.

Thanks to all organisers, recorders and specialists.

Thanks to all detectorists.

[fg]jpg|Fig 6 - Martin Miles photographing finds.|Image[/fg]

[fg]jpg|Fig 7 - 17 C Silver Cufflink (Treasure).|Image[/fg]

[fg]jpg|Fig 8 - 16 C Merchants ring with ship design.|Image[/fg]

[fg]jpg|Fig 9 - Finds from the day, on display.|Image[/fg]

Emma Youell is an award-winning motion graphic designer, videographer, and editor with valuable experience across various industries. Her work has been featured on BBC News, ITV News and Sky News, the Evening Standard, Alchemist Magazine and recently Sandi Toksvig’s Hidden Wonders on Channel 4. Emma is passionate about history and has been on Time Team, Great British History Hunters and Digging for Treasure: Tonight. She is also a metal detectorist and amateur archaeologist.

All images courtesy of Emma Youell, 2026.