A significant portion of the Community Orchards and Gardens encompass the Metchley Roman Fort which is a scheduled ancient monument. This means that any work on the site must have scheduled monument consent from English Heritage and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.
The site is protected by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 and as such every detail of work on the site must be agreed with English Heritage.
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) work closely with local archaeologists and English Heritage and are grateful for the help and support English Heritage has given.
There are restrictions on what can be done on a scheduled ancient monument. Digging is not allowed so bulbs are planted with dibbers or a turf spade. We are also limited on how accessible the site can be for people with disabilities as paths cannot be constructed due to archaeological damage.
For more information on the history of the fort, please visit the Historic England website.
Last reviewed: 30 October 2021