NHER 21427 (Monument record) - Early Neolithic worked flints and pottery and other multi-period prehistoric finds

1985. Fenland Project fieldwalking.
Several discrete concentrations of material identified:

Site FWL DL (c. 1; general scatter).
Small number of flints. Not closely datable.

Site FWL DL (c. 2; TL 6882 9126).
On low sand ridge (0.9m OD). Small area (c 10m) of flints and 'pot boilers'. Flints not closely datable. This site was not included in the published report.

Site FWL DM (c. 3; TL 6889 9098).
On sandy ridge end. Scatter of flints. Not closely datable. This site was not included in the published report.

Site FWL 132 (c. 4; TL 6901 9140).
On two ridges just emerging from peat. Sparse concentration of worked flints and 'pot boilers' with some pottery sherds and two fragments of animal bone. Max dimensions 32m E/W x 25m N/S. The pottery included 1 ?Beaker sherd, 13 indet. Prehistoric sherds and 1 grog-tempered Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age sherd.

Site FWL 133 (c. 5; TL 6909 9137).
On top of ridge. 'Pot boiler' mound with a few worked flints (not closely datable). Main concentration covers c 20m N/S x 25m E/W, but overall area 50m NE/SW x 40m NW/SE.

Site FWL 134 (c. 6; TL 6903 9127).
Sparse spread of flint with a few fragments of pot and bone and a few 'pot boilers'. Max dimensions 32m E/W x 25m N/S. Flints predominantly Early Neolithic with the 11 sherds of pottery recovered of a similar date (plain bowl).

Site FWL 135 (c. 7; TL 6885 9116).
On top and side of ridge. Sparse concentration of flint and bone fragments. 'Pot boilers' also sparse (except for a 5m concentration at SE end). Max dimensions 35m N/S x 31m E/W. The flints were predominantly of possible Early Neolithic date. Two fragments of indet. prehistoric were also recovered.

Site FWL 136 (c. 8; TL 6889 9109).
Finds recovered from hollow between two paralllel ridges where sand is mixed with peat. Sparse spread of flints and 'pot boilers' with reasonable quantities of pottery and animal bone. Material sparse where sand gives way to loam, particularly on eastern ridge. Max dimensions 130m by 50m. The flint assemblage included a piercer and was predominantly of Early Neolithic date. A small number of pieces were of Mesolithic and Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age date. 117 sherds of prehistoric pottery recovered including 101 Early Neolithic sherds (2 Mildenhall, 99 plain bowl), 1 ?rusticated Beaker sherd, 1 Beaker sherd, 5 grog-tempered Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age sherds and 9 indet. prehistoric sherds.

Site FWL 137 (c. 9; TL 6890 9102).
On north side of curving ridge. Abundant concentration of 'pot boilers'. Max dimensions 42m E/W x 30m N/S.

Site FWL 138 (c. 10; TL 6891 9094).
At end of ridge. Sparse concentration of flint with a few fragments of animal bone and 2 sherds of indet. prehistoric pottery. Max dimensions 20m E/W x 20m N/S. The worked flints were not closely datable.

For further details see project archive (S1) and final publication (S2).
R. J. Silvester (NAU), 13 April 1985. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 3 September 2013.

1989 to 1990 Fenland Evaluation
Auger traverse carried out E-W across the two parallel ridges and intervening hollow (area of c.8-c.11). See notes and auger profile in file.

Site also scanned but no further pottery or flint recovered - probably due to the less than ideal conditions.
M. Leah (NAU), August 1990. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 3 September 2013.