Norfolk named as top place in UK for finding buried treasure

A study analysing government data found that between 2012 and 2023 Norfolk was the UK’s top county for finding buried treasure.

Over the 10 years, the treasure was reported to be found 1,201 times in Norfolk alone – 400 more than second place Suffolk.

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East Anglia dominates the list with Essex coming in third place with 709 finds.

A gilded silver medieval pilgrim’s badge found in Topcroft, near Long Stratton (Image: British Museum)

The region’s flat and rural landscapes make it ideal for treasure hunters, partly explaining the East’s dominance in the field.

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The county’s rich history dates back to the Iceni tribe, ancient Britons who lived in the area before the Roman conquest 2,000 years ago.

Recent finds include a fragment of a gold Bronze Age penannular ring from north Norfolk and a gilded silver medieval pilgrim’s badge from Topcroft, near Long Stratton – both finds were donated to Norwich Castle Museum.

Several recent television shows have featured East Anglia as a treasure-hunting hotspot, including “Digging for Treasure” and “The Detectorists”.