NHER 23283 (Monument record) - Early Neolithic flint-working site, Mere Plot south of Long Belt

The Norfolk Heritage Explorer is a filtered version of the Norfolk HER intended for casual research. Please contact us to consult the full record.

Summary

Fieldwalking here in 1987 as part of the Fenland project recovered a small number of worked flints, including two blade. It was felt that that this had the potential to be a peat-protected Mesolithic or Early Neolithic site. One of the blades was also tentatively identified as a long blade of possible Mesolithic or earlier date. An auger survey undertaken during 1989-92 revealed that the flint scatter was on the edge of late glacial lake. Further fieldwalking was undertaken at the same site and a small number of additional worked flints recovered. A subsequent excavation as part of the Fenland Management Project identified a probable buried soil beneath the peat. A total of 89 worked flints were recovered during this work, the bulk from the buried soil deposit. This assemblage is likely to date to the Early Neolithic and represents a seasonal flint-working site rather than a major settlement focus.

Protected Status/Designation

None recorded

Location

Map sheet	TF61SE
Civil Parish	SHOULDHAM, WEST NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Map

Find a placename, postcode or grid reference

Map layers

Base layers

Info

Record list

Tools

Full Description

3 February 1987. Fenland Project fieldwalking.
Field drilled but crop not yet up.
Site SHD U6 (fieldwork code SHD AP; TF 6902 1122).
A few worked flints and 'pot boilers' from buried sandhill, cut by dyke. The small assemblage of worked flints included 1 blade core, 2 flakes (1 burnt) and 2 blades. Although these flints were not particularly diagnostic it was felt that this was potentially a peat-protected Mesolithic or Early Neolithic site (the flints most likely derived from the cleaning of the dyke). It is noted in (S1) that one of the flints recovered was a long blade of Mesolithic or earlier date.
Finds held by NCM.
For further details see project archive (S2) and final publication (S3).
R. Silvester (NAU) 4 February 1987. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 25 November 2013.

For full details of wares, flint types, etc. see Fenland Folders.

1989-1990. Fenland Evaluation Project.
Auger traverse across site and peat/marl filled former channel to the south; samples taken. Sondage excavated to sample buried soil.
Dossier prepared for English Heritage. Copy in file.
Site SHD U6.
M. Leah (NAU) August 1990.

1992. Excavation for Fenland Management Project.
Revealed that Mesolithic scatter was on edge of late glacial lake. See (S4).
E. Rose (NLA) 1 March 1993.

Further details: a scatter of Neolithic (early?) flint on largely peat buried sandhill beside recut course of River Nar - pollen core from channel. Peal sealed a buried soil containing numerous struck flints and a possible butchered auroch humerus. No features located.
Buried soil sampled for micromorphological study.
Summary report and map in file.
Contexts used 2-54 inclusive.

M. Leah (NAU) 16 July 1993.

From cleaning upcast of dyke bisecting a sandhill and paleochannel buried by peat.
A few flints. Eighty-nine pieces of worked stone, including blades. The bulk of the material is likely to date to the earlier Neolithic phase. It is not likely to represent a major settlement focus so much as a seasonal camp. See (S5). This work was also reported in (S6).
J. Allen (NLA) 14 September 2000.

The archive associated with the 1992 excavation has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2013.327).
P. Watkins (HES), 19 June 2020.

Associated Sources (11)

--- SNF16259 *Fieldwork: Fenland Survey. SHD AP. FENS.
--- SNF16270 *Fieldwork: Fenland Survey. SHD U6. FENS.
--- SNF52013 Photograph: FPM, FPN.
--- SNF57722 Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
--- SNF8804 Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1> SNF59363 Unpublished Document: Leah, M. D. (NAU) and Mathews, M. (NAU). 1990. Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission Dossier.
<S2> SNF58493 Archive: Fenland Folders.
<S3> SNF8173 Monograph: Silvester, R. J. 1988. The Fenland Project Number 3: Marshland and Nar Valley, Norfolk. East Anglian Archaeology. No 45.
<S4> SNF6764 Article in Serial: Leah, M. 1992. The Fenland Management Project, Norfolk. Fenland Research. Vol 7 pp 49-59. pp 57-58.
<S5> SNF48345 Monograph: Crowson, A., Lane, T. and Reeve, J. (eds). 2000. Fenland Management Project Excavations 1991-1995. Lincolnshire Archaeology and Heritage Reports Series. No 3. pp 166, 172-174.
<S6> SNF51891 Article in Serial: Gurney, D. (ed.). 1993. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 1992. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLI Pt IV pp 522-532. p 530.

Site and Feature Types and Periods (5)

Object Types (13)

LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
POT BOILER (Prehistoric - 1000000 BC to 42 AD)
BLADE (Upper Palaeolithic to Late Mesolithic - 40000 BC? to 4001 BC?)
BLADE (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC? to 3001 BC?)
BLADE CORE (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC? to 3001 BC?)
FLAKE (Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic - 10000 BC? to 3001 BC?)
ANIMAL REMAINS (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
BLADE (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
BRIQUETAGE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
FLAKE (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
LITHIC IMPLEMENT (Early Neolithic - 4000 BC to 3001 BC)
POLLEN (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2351 BC)
ANIMAL REMAINS (Undated)