NHER 5590 (Find Spot record) - Unprovenanced Upper Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and later prehistoric finds, Weeting (Weeting with Broomhill, poorly located)

Various prehistoric objects recorded as being found during the late 19th century and early 20th century in the Weeting area of what is now Weeting with Broomhill parish, but with no additional information regarding provenance.

FINDS IN THE NORWICH CASTLE MUSEUM

The Norwich Castle Museum holds a worked flint described as an Upper Palaeolithic "flint shouldered point blade" that, according to the museum's accession register, was found in Weeting (NWHCM : 1996.34.2). This was one of two such objects received from the Wiltshire Archaeology and Natural History Society in 1996, both of which had come from the estate of L. Toambs. It should be noted that both are currently listed in the museum's digital records as being from Feltwell.
Previously recorded as NHER 33739.

The NCM H. H. Halls Collection includes a number of worked flints from an area in Weeting that Halls had designated Site 41 (NWHCM : 1924.83.41), the location of which is unknown. This assemblage is listed as including 1 flaked Neolithic axe and a number of other "undated prehistoric flint implements". The axe is the only implement listed by (S2). Information from (S1). One of the flakes from this site has been identified as potentially Palaeolithic (see NHER 5592).
Previously recorded as NHER 5597.

FINDS IN THE THETFORD MUSEUM

The Thetford Museum holds a Mesolithic flint microlith that was found by a Mr Zipfel in 1910 (THEHM : 1975.333). This object is described in (S7) and is probably one of the two microliths from Weeting listed in (S4) as being held by the Thetford Museum. E. Rose (NLA) suggested that the second microlith might be the Parrott find described above, although there is no evidence for this.

FINDS IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM

The British Museum's Mesolithic/Upper Palaeolithic collections include a number of worked flints from Weeting with Broomhill. Previously few details were recorded, although it had been noted by E. Rose (NLA) that these finds include a number from "fields around Grimes Graves" (S3). The finds found near Grimes Grave are part of the Sturge Collection and are listed in the museum's records as 1 core, 2 blades and 1 flake. One of these objects is an Upper Palaeolithic crested 'Lame mâchurée' [bruised blade] that was identified in the Sturge Collection by R. Jacobi. This object is described in (S7) and is one of the blades listed as being from Weeting or Lynford in (S8). See NHER 5640 for details of other Late Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic finds recovered at Grimes Graves itself.

The Sturge Collection also includes a number of potentially Mesolithic/Upper Palaeolithic that are recorded as being from Weeting. These are listed in the museum's records as 1 "pick", 2 scrapers and 2 blades. The pick is almost certainly the Mesolithic tranchet adze in the British Museum recorded in (S7). The nature of the objects not listed in (S7) is uncertain, particular as they are not listed in (S6).
These finds were previously recorded as NHER 5593.

FINDS IN OTHER MUSEUMS

Moyses Hall Museum.
The Moyses Hall Museum holds a large Late Upper Palaeolithic flint blade from Weeting (1977.427). This object is described in (S7) and is one of the blades listed as being from Weeting or Lynford in (S8).

Lapworth Museum.
The Birmingham University Lapworth Geology Museum holds a number of prehistoric worked flints from Weeting. These include 1 Mesolithic blade core and 1 blade. These objects are listed in (S4) and briefly described in (S7).

The Lapworth Museum also holds nine later prehistoric flint flakes and tools from Weeting including a narrow polished axe/chisel (S5).

Birmingham Museum.
The Birmingham Museum holds a number of later prehistoric flints from Weeting, including two flakes, two hammerstones and a large flake tool (S6).

Stoke-on-Trent City Museum and Art Galley.
According to (S6) the Stoke-on-Trent Museum also holds a number of later prehistoric flints from Weeting, including six flakes, two scrapers and a fabricator.

Passmore Edwards Museum.
Two Neolithic flint implements marked 'Weeting' are amongst the finds from Norfolk in the Passmore Edwards collection. According to (S5) both are in the Fox collection (16213, 16452); one in a box of flints listed as being from Suffolk. The other could not be found in 1984. The Passmore Edwards Museum was in Stratford and held the extensive collections of the Essex Field Club. It closed in 1994 and its collections were put into storage by Essex County Council.
Previously recorded under NHER 21675.

FINDS IN THE PARROTT COLLECTION

The Parrott Collection includes a number of finds from Weeting for which only a general parish provenance is recorded. The Parrott Collection was previously on loan to the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 1961.142) but is now housed at Weeting Primary School.

The unprovenanced early prehistoric finds include:
1 Mesolithic microlith with "transverse blunting" (Coll. No. 11). Noted by (S3).
1 Upper Palaeolithic/Mesolithic blade core. See drawing (S9). Identified by R. Jacobi and described in (S7) (its date is not specified). It is noted that this object was "purchased from Norton, 9th April 1952". This may be one of the unprovenanced blade cores from Weeting listed in (S8).

FINDS IN OTHER COLLECTIONS

R. Jacobi's Archive includes a description of a Mesolithic flint microlith from Weeting that is listed as "ex J. E. S. Collection", presumably a reference to J. E. Sainty (S7). The present location of this object is unknown.

It is noted in (S8) that there are 3 unprovenanced Late Upper Palaeolithic flint blade cores from Weeting in private hands. The nature of these objects is unknown, although, as noted above at least one is probably in the Parrott Collection.

Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 17 May 2013 and 11 September 2014.