NHER 4112 (Find Spot record) - Unprovenanced Neolithic and Bronze Age finds, Bartholomew's Hills (Southacre, poorly located/Sporle with Palgrave, poorly located)

Several prehistoric objects found during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the Bartholomew's Hills area, but with little additional information regarding provenance. The area known as Bartholomew's Hills staddles the boundary between the parishes of Southacre and Sporle with Palgrave.

FINDS IN THE NORWICH CASTLE MUSEUM (NCM).

The NCM holds a Late Bronze Age copper alloy leaf-shaped spearhead (NWHCM : 1908.22.41) recorded by (S1) and (S2) as having been found "near Bartholomew's Hills." This find was donated to the museum in 1908 (ex Beloe Collection) and is noted in (S3) and (S4).
Although this find was previously recorded under NHER 4099 (which details finds found in the gravels pits near the Bartholomew's Hill crossroads), there is no evidence that it came from this site. It should also be noted that it was originally recorded as having come from Sporle with Palgrave parish, suggesting it was found somewhere to the east of this location.

OTHER FINDS

According to (S5) two Neolithic flint objects were found in a sand pit at Bartholomew's Hills, Southacre. The precise location of these finds is unclear as a number of pits were worked in this area during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age sickle with close shallow pressure flaking all over both sides. The object is patinated orange and brown from exposure to gravels and sands.
Neolithic polished axe.
The sickle blade has close shallow pressure flaking all over both sides - see sketch on (S5).
These objects were seen by Thetford museum and remain in private hands. They are listed in (S6).
See sickle sketch on (S6), and illustration (S7).

Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 10 June 2013, E. McDonald (HES), 10 August 2020.