Looting in Britain

A railway guard from Kent has been a three-year conditional discharge for looting at some 20 known archaeological sites in England ("Guard Raids Roman Sites", The Gloucestershire Echo, June 28, 2008; see also "Man Accused of Illegal Digs at Historic sites", The Guardian June 11, 2008). These included:

• Richborough, Kent
• Reculver, Kent
• Chilham, Kent
• Chanctonbury, West Sussex
• Spoonley Wood, Gloucestershire (where he removed part of a mosaic)

Sadly it is a good reminder that the destruction of archaeological sites is taking place close to home.