Record Details
| NHER Number: | 1775 |
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| Type of record: | Monument |
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| Name: | Possible Mesolithic occupation or activity site |
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Summary
A collection of Mesolithic flints was recovered from the surface of this low natural mound when it was ploughed in 1957. This assemblage includes a core, blades and at least two retouched implements. This mound was probably an upstanding feature during the Mesolithic and it is possible that this and other islands in the coastal marshes were seasonally occupied during this period.
Images - none
Location
| Grid Reference: | TF 8729 4440 |
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| Map Sheet: | TF84SE |
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| Parish: | HOLKHAM, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK |
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Full description
1957. Stray Find.
Found by P. L. K. Schwabe on surface of natural mound in marshes following ploughing of field (Ordance Survey 212) that had previously been pasture:
Mesolithic-type flint industry. Flint grey-blue or light translucent in colour. Donated to Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 1957.248). Mound is at northeast corner of field, about 6' [1.83m ] high and 60 paces [54m] south-west to north-east.
Subsequently noted as comprising small cores and featureless bladelets (some burnt), similar to material from Blofield that is also held by the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 1960.223; NHER 8485).
Information from (S1).
These discoveries were first reported in (S2) and the flints themselves are listed in (S3) as comprising 3 cores, 49 blades/flakes and 2 microliths. These flints are were also noted in (S4), although Jacobi recorded the assemblage somewhat differently, listing 1 core, 1 scraper, 1 piercer and flakes.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES),
2000. Systematic Fieldwalking Survey.
Non-collection fieldwalking undertaken as part of archaeological assessment of Holkham Estate (Field 38).
2 prehistoric small flint blades.
The site itself is described as a low natural mound that takes to form of a low grassy rise in what (at the time at least) was rough grazing land. It was suggested that the mound was an upstanding feature in the Mesolithic period, and was probably seasonally settled or occupied, along with other islands in the marshes.
See report (S5) for further details.
K. Penn (NAU), 9 March 2001 and S. Spooner (NLA), 27 March 2006. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 22 April 2015.
Monument Types
- MOUND (Unknown date)
- OCCUPATION SITE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
Associated Finds
- BLADE (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
- BLADE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
- CORE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
- MICROLITH? (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
Protected Status
Sources and further reading
| --- | Aerial Photograph: Ordnance Survey. 1974. OS 74-079-(81-2). |
| --- | Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TF 84 SE 22. |
| --- | Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card. |
| --- | Secondary File: Secondary File. |
| <S1> | Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Mesolithic. |
| <S2> | Serial: 1957. Council for British Archaeology Group 7 Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries. No 4. p 3. |
| <S3> | Monograph: Wymer, J. J. and Bonsall, C. J. (eds). 1977. Gazetteer of Mesolithic Sites in England and Wales with a Gazetteer of Upper Palaeolithic Sites in England and Wales. Council for British Archaeology Research Report. No. 20. p 207. |
| <S4> | Archive: R. Jacobi. -. Jacobi Archive. 10273. |
| <S5> | Unpublished Contractor Report: Penn, K. 2000. The Holkham Estate, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk. Archaeological Survey (Final Report). Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 532. p 32. |
Related records - none
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