Record Details

NHER Number:6227
Type of record:Find Spot
Name:Unprovenance Mesolithic and Neolithic worked flints and Beaker pot, Kelling Heath (Kelling, poorly located)

Summary

Various objects in museum collections known to have been found on Kelling Heath during the late 19th century and earlier 20th century, but with little additional information regarding their exact provenance. These finds include a range of Mesolithic worked flints, many of which were probably recovered on or near the well-known Mesolithic site excavated on Kelling Heath by J. E. Sainty during the 1920s (NHER 6246). The Norwich Castle Museum also hold a complete Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age Beaker pottery vessel that was found during the late 19th century. Although recorded as being from Kelling Heath it is possible that this object was actually recovered during early investigations of the Bronze Age barrow cemetery on nearby Gallow Hill (NHER 6201).

Images

  • A complete Beaker period pot and a rubbing of the decoration. The pot was found in Kelling.  © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service

Location

Parish:KELLING, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Various objects known to have been found on Kelling Heath during the late 19th century and earlier 20th century, but with little additional information regarding provenance.

Kelling Heath lies at the western edge of Kelling parish and its extent is much the same as it was in the late 19th century. It was in this area that J. E. Sainty discovered the well-known Kelling Heath Mesolithic flint-working site during the 1920s (NHER 6246). Sainty's excavations produced several thousand Mesolithic flints and it is therefore likely that the majority of the many finds in museum collections marked "Kelling" or "Kelling Heath" were found at this site.

FINDS IN THE NORWICH CASTLE MUSEUM

Mesolithic finds (potentially from NHER 6246):

The NCM's T. F. Newnam collection includes a number of "Mesolithic flint implements" from Kelling (NWHCM : 1950.114.7; NWHCM : 1950.114.17). This is one of the collections listed on an NCM record card (S1) as potentially from or containing material from Sainty's site (NHER 6246). This collection also includes a fragmentary partly polished Neolithic flint axehead. This object was identified by F. Healy (S2) and was previously recorded separately as NHER 14792.

The NCM also holds a small collection of Mesolithic flints from Kelling Heath that were collected by A. Q. Watson (NWHCM : 1953.177.4). These are listed as 1 end scraper, 2 "saws" and 2 "points". This was also one of the collections listed on an NCM record card (S1) as potentially from or containing material from Sainty's site (NHER 6246).

Later prehistoric finds:

The NCM Fitch Collection includes a complete Beaker vessel recorded as being from Kelling Heath (NWHCM : 1894.76.608). This is described by (S1) as a Type C Beaker of high-brimmed globular type, 5 inches [12.5cm] high, 4 inches [10cm] in diameter and 3 9/10 inches [10cm] across mouth. A B/C (Willmott). The Beaker is listed in (S2) and is one of the vessels illustrated in (S3) and (S4). Noted in (S5).
A note added to an NCM record map (S4) by R. R. Clarke suggests that it is perhaps more likely that this object was actually recovered from the Gallow Hill barrow cemetery (NHER 6201), which lies in a small area of heath at the western edge of the parish.

FINDS IN OTHER MUSEUMS

The King's Lynn Museum holds a large collection of Mesolithic worked flints that were recovered on Kelling Heath on unknown dates by Dr. T. Matthews (KILLM : 1977.130.7). These finds are listed by the museum as being from "the Kelling Heath Mesolithic site". As noted by (S1) that it is nevertheless unclear whether this means they were from the 'main' site identified by J. E. Sainty (NHER 6246), or from elsewhere on the heath. Matthews' finds are recorded by (S1) as "50 microlithic blades and cores" and by the King's Lynn Museum as including "microliths, core tools and blades".
Information from (S1).
Previously recorded as NHER 14378.

Monument Types

  • FINDSPOT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age - 3000 BC to 1501 BC)

Associated Finds

  • BLADE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • END SCRAPER (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • FLAKED AXEHEAD? (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • MICROLITH (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • MICROLITH? (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • SERRATED IMPLEMENT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • POLISHED AXEHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • POT (Beaker - 2300 BC to 1700 BC)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Photograph: NLA. Finds Photograph.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. NHERs 6227 and 14792.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Mesolithic.
<S1>Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Neolithic. Kelling.
<S2>Publication: Norwich Castle Museum. 1910. Catalogue of Antiquities in Norwich Castle Museum. p 31.
<S2>Thesis: Healy, F. 1978. The Neolithic in Norfolk. p 408.
<S3>Publication: Abercromby, J. 1912. A Study of the Bronze Age Pottery of Great Britain and Ireland and its Associated Grave-Goods. Vol 1. Plate X; Fig 90.
<S3>Map: NCM. NCM Record Map.
<S4>Publication: Clarke, D. L. 1970. Beaker Pottery of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol 2. No 560; Fig 523.

Related records

6201Parent of: Gallow Hill Bronze Age bowl barrow cemetery (Monument)

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