Record Details

NHER Number:8473
Type of record:Monument
Name:Mesolithic flint working site

Summary

Two Neolithic flaked flint axeheads were found by chance at this location during the late 1960s, along with a number of prehistoric flint flakes and cores. A more detailed examination of this site during the early 1970s identified a Mesolithic flint scatter, located on slightly raised ground near to the springs that feed the nearby lake. The flints recovered included axeheads, cores, waste flakes, scrapers retouched flakes and a backed blade and are likely to represent some form of flint-working site.

Images

  • Mesolithic flaked flint axehead.  © Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service

Location

Grid Reference:TG 3398 1246
Map Sheet:TG31SW
Parish:WOODBASTWICK, BROADLAND, NORFOLK

Full description

1967. Stray Find.
Found on ploughed field at highest point for some distance, about 900yds [823m] southwest of Panxworth Hall:
1 Neolithic chipped flint axehead. See drawing (S1). Held by Thorpe Grammar School?
Also spread of prehistoric flint flakes and cores.
Information from (S2). It should be noted that a large number of Mesolithic flints were subsequently found on this site - could these flints actually be of a similar date?
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 7 May 2014.

February 1968. Stray Find.
Found about 10yds [9m] from similar 1967 find:
1 Neolithic chipped flint axehead. Donated to Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 1968.174).
Information from (S2).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 7 May 2014.

1970-1973. Fieldwalking.
Surface scatter of worked flints (thought to represent a 'working site') identified on slightly raised ground near springs which feed lake. Finds recovered in around 1970-1971 included Mesolithic flint cores, axes, flakes with secondary working and waste flakes. At least a proportion of these finds were donated to the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 1970.306). Information from museum records. These discoveries were first reported in (S3).

Additional Mesolithic worked flints were recovered in 1973, after the lifting of a potato crop. These included a tranchet axehead, scrapers, a backed blade, cores and waste flakes. These finds were also donated to the NCM (NWHCM : 1973.431). Information from museum records and (S4). These discoveries were reported in (S5). It should be noted that there is a degree of confusion as to exactly which flint types were found in 1973, the list in the museum's records being virtually that same as that given by (S4) for the 1970-1971 finds.

The Mesolithic finds from this site in the NCM are listed in (S6) as comprising 6 cores, 83 blades/flakes, 1 scraper, 1 burin ('graver') and 1 other implement with secondary working. It is assumed that these total include material from both of the two collections, although this is not certain. It is notable that no axeheads are listed - it is possible that either the information in the museum's records is inaccurate or that these collections actually include some material of later prehistoric date. Only one tranchet axehead from the site is listed in (S7) - presumably this could actually be the axehead found in 1968.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 7 May 2014.

Monument Types

  • FINDSPOT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • LITHIC WORKING SITE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • FINDSPOT (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)

Associated Finds

  • CORE (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • FLAKE (Lower Palaeolithic to Late Iron Age - 500000 BC to 42 AD)
  • BACKED BLADE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • BURIN (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • CORE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • CORE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • FLAKE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • FLAKE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • FLAKED AXEHEAD (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • RETOUCHED FLAKE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • SCRAPER (TOOL) (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • TRANCHET AXEHEAD (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
  • FLAKED AXEHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
  • FLAKED AXEHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Serial: 1968. Council for British Archaeology Group 7 Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries for 1968. No 15. p 9.
---Serial: 1967. Council for British Archaeology Group 7 Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries for 1967. No 14. p 7.
---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 31 SW 13.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
<S1>Illustration: Clough, T. H. Mck. 1967. Drawing of a Neolithic flaked flint axehead. Film. 1:1.
<S2>Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Neolithic. Woodbastwick [2].
<S3>Serial: 1970. Council for British Archaeology Group 7 Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries for 1970. No 17. p 16.
<S4>Record Card: Clarke, R. R. and NCM Staff. 1933-1973. Norwich Castle Museum Record Card - Mesolithic.
<S5>Serial: 1973. Council for British Archaeology Group 7 Bulletin of Archaeological Discoveries for 1973. No 20. p 15.
<S6>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 215.
<S7>Archive: R. Jacobi. -. Jacobi Archive. 10413.

Related records - none

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