NHER 59923 (Find Spot record) - Unprovenanced Palaeolithic handaxes and other worked flints, Massingham Heath (Great Massingham, poorly located)

A number of Palaeolithic worked flints were found at unknown locations on Massingham Heath during the late 19th century and early 20th century. The area known as Massingham Heath was relatively extensive at this time, running along the whole of the western edge of the parish.

REPORTED DISCOVERIES

Pre November 1930. Stray Find.
The Palaeolithic finds recovered include a handaxe that was found by A. Q. Watson and exhibited at a meeting of the Prehistoric Society of East Anglia in November 1930 (S1). This find was also reported and illustrated in (S2), where it is described as having been found "…a short distance to the south-west of the Massingham 'Cissbury' site (O.S. 6-inch map XXV. S. W.) 2 miles S. of Great Massingham, adjoining a shallow pit from which gravel has been dug". The 'Cissbury' site is a probable Neolithic flint mine that had been discovered in a pit on the heath by C. B. Plowright in the late 19th century (NHER 2318). Unfortunately the location of Prowright's site is unknown, having been described in (S3) simply as "…a so-called gravel pit situated upon Massingham Heath…on the slope of hill not far from the main road". The exact provenance of Watson's find is therefore unclear. The handaxe itself is described in (S2) as "well-made…5 1/2 inches [14cm] long, 3 1/3 inches wide [8.5cm], 1 1/4 inches thick, made from a flat nodule, the butt retaining the cortex…unrolled and unscratched". This pointed handaxe was also noted in (S4) and listed in (S5).
It is also noted on (S6) and in (S7), (S8) and (S9) although these give no additional information.
The present location of this object is unknown.
Previously recorded under NHER 2288.

FINDS IN THE KING'S LYNN MUSEUM

It appears that a number of Palaeolithic worked flints were recovered on the heath during the late 19th century. Although Plowright's article makes no mention of Palaeolithic objects, the King's Lynn Museum holds 2 handaxes that were found by him in "Massingham", presumably on the heath. One is described as "...perfect Levallois, rather thick, white with cortex remaining on convex side" (KILLM : 2001.534) and the other as "...white, of rather Neolithic outline but with S-twist" (KILLM : 2001.532). Both are recorded as having been found in 1890. This museum also hold two flint "cleavers" at least one of which was also found by Plowright in 1890 (KILLM : 2001.531; KILLM : 2001.533); these may also be Palaeolithic rather than Neolithic. One is recorded as being "from [a] pit opened out by Dr Plowright on Massingham Heath in 1890".

Other potentially Palaeolithic finds from Massingham Heath in the King's Lynn Museum include a collection of 50 worked flints that were collected on Massingham Heath between 1890 and 1900 by Dr H. C. Brown between 1890 and 1900 (KILLM : 1993.34). These are listed as Palaeolithic in the museum's records and were apparently drawn by students at the Norfolk College of Art and Technology in the late 1970s. Dr Brown was a friend of Plowright and it is noted in (S2) that the pair searched the fields around the Neolithic quarry on several occasions.

The King's Lynn Museum also holds an irregular flint cleaver that was found by an unrecorded finder in "Massingham" at an unknown date (KILLM : 2001.703).

FINDS IN OTHER MUSEUMS

According to (S11) the Hereford City Museum and Art Gallery holds 3 handaxes from "Massingham" (Her 7172.428-430). As with the other finds described above, these were most likely found somewhere on the heath.
These objects are also noted on (S6).
Previously recorded as NHER 39485.

According to a note on (S10) (for NHER 2318) "Palaeolithic Stone Celts" from Massingham Heath were added to the collections of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society in 1899.

P. Watkins (HES), 8 December 2013.