NHER 9962 (Find Spot record) - Potentially prehistoric flints

1908. Stray Find.
Around 1908 a number of potentially worked flints were recovered by W.G. Clarke and W. H. Burrell in the "parish pit" on Flordon Common (Clarke's Site 23). This was one of a number of sites at which Clarke believe he had recovered "sub-crag" Palaeolithic implements. The Flordon flints are described in (S1) as coming from "… a narrow 'stone-bed' resting on the chalk and topped by sands and pebbly gravel (with loam and chalky boulder clay above)". As with many of the "sub-crag" flints recovered by Clarke, the examples from Flordon described and figured in (S1) are not particularly convincing as genuine worked flints. The least obviously natural is a flake that was subsequently described in greater detail in (S2) (in which drawing (S8) is also reproduced). It is noted on (S3) that this particular flake "could be accepted as an artefact".

Flints from the Flordon parish pit are also mentioned in (S4) and (S5).

The Norwich Castle museum holds a number of flints from Clarke's Site 23 (NWHCM : 1926.32.23). It appears that this collection may include at least some later material, being described in the museum's records as comprising "Neolithic flint implements". According to (S6) these include three implements and an "axe". It should however be noted that no flints from this collection are listed in (S7). It is noted on (S6) that Clarke sold part of his collection from this site to a Dr F. Corner in 1916.

The mapped extent of this record reflects the site where these objects were most likely found, although this identification is by no means certain. Several gravel pits are shown within Flordon parish on late 19th- and early 20th-century maps, with a large pit shown at the eastern end of Flordon Common being the most likely candidate for the 'parish pit' mentioned in relation to these finds. It is possible that this could be confirmed by checking the tithe apportionment document for this parish.

Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 19 February 2013.