NHER 5126 (Find Spot record) - Mesolithic and Neolithic worked flints from West Tofts Heath

Various Mesolithic and Neolithic flint objects collected by various individuals on West Tofts Heath in the early 20th century. The mapped extent of this record reflects the boundary of West Tofts Heath as it is shown on the 1st Edition O.S map.

Pre 1922.
A number of worked flints were recovered on West Tofts Heath by H. Dixon Hewitt during the 1920s. This was his Site XLIV; an area described as "heath along drove road just east of where it crosses the Thetford-Mundford Road" (S1). The surviving finds from this site include a Mesolithic tranchet axe in the Thetford Museum (THEHM : 1975.310), which is listed in (S2). The Norwich Castle Museum also holds a number of worked flints from this site (NWHCM : 1922.39). It is noted in (S1) that this collection includes 2 fragmentary flaked Neolithic axes.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 May 2013.

The Birmingham Museum also has a large utilised flake marked as Drove Road, West Tofts Heath but also Hewitt XLIX. Presumably the site label is a mistake or has been misread (XLIX or XLIV is an easy confusion).
E. Rose (NAU), 20 June 1983.

Pre 1926.
In the early 20th century prehistoric flints were collected by W. G. Clarke in many parts of what is now Lynford parish. These included a number from a location he designated his Site 16, which was West Tofts Heath (S3). The Norwich Castle Museum holds a number of finds from this site (NWHCM : 1926.32.16 : A), which are listed as "Mesolithic and Neolithic flint implements". It is unlikely that an particularly diagnostic implements are present as the collection is not listed in either (S2) or (S1). Early records provide little additional information, although these are possible the "Sandy Site Type" flints from West Tofts listed in (S4).

A note on (S3) (probably by E. Rose) suggests that Clarke's site was centred on TL 8410 8905, which would place it just to the north of the 'Drove Road' and therefore probably close to Hewitt's site. This record was previously mapped as a polygon in this location and it is possible that early NCM records provided confirmation of its extent. This original polygon is preserved in the mapping for the relevant Event record.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 May 2013.

Pre 1929.
The Norwich Castle Museum's J. S. Warburton Collection (NWHCM : 1929.153) includes a number of prehistoric objects that were collected on West Tofts Heath during the early 20th-century. It is recorded by (S6) that these include a Mesolithic or Neolithic "harpoon barb" that was found prior to 1916 and noted in (S5). The nature of this object is unclear, although it may be either a microlith or a petit tranchet arrowhead.

This assemblage also includes a number of Neolithic objects from West Tofts Heath, including the following flint implements listed in (S1):
1 Early Neolithic leaf-shaped arrowhead.
1 Neolithic oblique petit tranchet derivative arrowhead and 1 end-polished flint adze.
5 Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age barbed and tanged arrowheads.
It is highly likely that the petit tranchet derivative arrowhead is the "harpoon barb" that had been recorded by W. G. Clarke.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 May 2013.