NHER 2745 (Find Spot record) - Unprovenanced Mesolithic and later prehistoric finds, Thetford Warren (Thetford, poorly located)

Various Mesolithic and later prehistoric objects found during the the late 19th century and early 20th century in the Thetford Warren area, but with no additional information regarding provenance. Thetford Warren covers an area of several square kilometres to the west of Thetford.

FINDS RECOVERED BY H. DIXON HEWITT

A number of prehistoric worked flints were collection on Thetford Warren by H. Dixon Hewitt during the early 20th century, an area which he designated Site XXVIII. A number of his finds from this area were now in museum collections. As with the finds he recovered at other site, many of the object are marked with additional information regarding their provenace and date of discovery.

Finds from Thetford Warren in the Norwich Castle Museum's main Dixon Hewitt collection (NWHCM : 1922.39) include:
1 Mesolithic flint blade core. Marked "XXVIII Nr. The Ring, Thetford Warren, 7.V.18 (J. Middleton, RAF)".

FINDS IN THE NORWICH CASTLE MUSEUM

Pre 1924.
A Mesolithic tranchet axe was recovered on Thetford Warren by H. H. Halls at some time prior to 1924. Information from (S1). This object is now held by the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 1924.83.50 : A) and is listed in (S2) and described in (S5).

FINDS IN THE THETFORD MUSEUM

Early prehistoric finds from Thetford Warren in the Thetford Museum include:
1 Mesolithic combination tool (end scraper on blade, utilised as saw on side) (THEHM : 1976.54). Ex J. Spinks.
2 Mesolithic flint blades (THEHM : 1976.53; THEHM : 1979.19). Ex L. Caton.
These finds are described in (S5).

FINDS IN OTHER MUSEUMS

The British Museum's Upper Palaeolithic/Mesolithic collections include a small assemblage of 13 unregistered finds (1 pick, 1 scraper, 1 retouched blade and debitage; doner unknown) from Abbey Heath, Thetford Warren and unspecified sites in Thetford. The British Museum's Sturge collection also include a small assemblage of potentially Mesolithic flint from Thetford/Thetford Warren (1 scraper, 1 microdenticulate, 1 "end modified piece", cores and debitage). See NHER 5722 for further details.
These finds are noted by (S3) and were reviously recorded under NHER 5672. None of these unregistered flints is listed in either (S2) or (S5).

The Pitt Rivers Museum also holds a number of prehistoric objects Thetford Warren. These include:
1 prehistoric flint scraper (1892.67.839), 1 discoidal implement (1892.67.840) and 1 end scraper (1892.67.841). Ex J. W. Flower Collection.
1 Neolithic/Bronze Age flake from ground implement (1912.67.2). Ex S. G. Hewlett.
1 prehistoric flint blade (1912.66.11), 1 bifacially flaked implement (1912.69.2) and 1 bone awl (1934.72.12). Ex S. G. Hewlett.
Information from museum records.

OTHER FINDS

2 June 1951. Stray Find.
A few flakes and a "rough scraping tool" found by J. J. Wymer on the "…western side of the heath, near the Leper House [Thetford Warren Lodge]". These finds were initially retained by were discarded in 1957. Information from (S4).

Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 23 July 2013 and 16 September 2014.