Record Details
| NHER Number: | 11484 |
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| Type of record: | Find Spot |
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| Name: | Unprovenanced ?Palaeolithic worked flints, Kenninghall Pit (Kenninghall, marginal) |
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Summary
During the early 20th century a number of what were believed to be worked flints were recovered from a pit at an unknown location in Kenninghall. It is likely that most, if not all, of the objects recovered would now be regarded as extremely dubious artefacts. The British Museum holds two flints from Kenninghall that are probably examples of the material recovered around this time.
Images - none
Location
Full description
Potentially Palaeolithic objects are known to have been recovered at Kenninghall during the 20th century, but with little additional information regarding provenance. It appears that most, if not all, of these object are probably somewhat dubious.
REPORTED DISCOVERIES
July 1914. Stray Find.
In July 1914 Rev. H. G. O. Kendall and a Dr Blackmore recovered a number of what they believed to be worked flints in a "small pit" at Kenninghall (S1). This pit is described as being "…situate at the edge of a small, dry side valley, originally draining off the plateau into the southern branch of the River Wittle. The height above O.D. is 129 feet [40m]. A number of Kendall's flints were seen by Reid Moir and identified as most belonging to the "Middle Glacial Sands series" with one being of "pre-Crag Age". A "Rostro-carinate" implement is figured in (S1). Dr Blackmore's flints are described in (S1) as "…chiefly small and rude specimens of eagle-beak implements…of the middle glacial period".
As with most of the supposedly early implements identified around this time it is likely that these flints from Kenninghall would now be regarded as extremely dubious artefacts.
FINDS IN MUSEUM COLLECTIONS
The British Museum holds 2 supposedly Palaeolithic objects that are recorded as being "from the pit" at Kenninghall. Information from (S2).
These flints are in the Wellcome Collection (1982,1004.10-11) and are listed in the museum's records as 1 core and 1 natural object. The latter is listed on (S2) as a scraper.
It seems reasonably likely that they are examples of the so-called "Middle Glacial" objects that had been recovered at Kenninghall during the early 20th century (see above).
These flints were examined by Wymer and are described on (S3) as ?natural flaked pieces. They were not included in (S4).
P. Watkins (HES), 28 March 2013.
Monument Types
- FINDSPOT (Palaeolithic - 500000 BC? to 10001 BC?)
Associated Finds
- WORKED OBJECT? (Palaeolithic - 500000 BC? to 10001 BC?)
- WORKED OBJECT? (Palaeolithic - 500000 BC? to 10001 BC?)
Protected Status - none
Sources and further reading
| --- | Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TM 08 NW 21. |
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| <S1> | Article in Serial: Kendall, H. G. O. 1915. Middle Glacial and Pre-Crag Implements in South Norfolk. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society of East Anglia. Vol II Pt I (for 1914-15) pp 31-35. pp 32-33. |
| <S2> | Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Palaeolithic. |
| <S3> | Record Card: Wymer, J. J. Wymer Index Card - Palaeolithic. Kenninghall. |
| <S4> | Publication: Wymer, J. J. 1985. Palaeolithic Sites of East Anglia. |
Related records - none
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