NHER 6227 (Find Spot record) - Unprovenance Mesolithic and Neolithic worked flints and Beaker pot, Kelling Heath (Kelling, poorly located)

Various objects known to have been found on Kelling Heath during the late 19th century and earlier 20th century, but with little additional information regarding provenance.

Kelling Heath lies at the western edge of Kelling parish and its extent is much the same as it was in the late 19th century. It was in this area that J. E. Sainty discovered the well-known Kelling Heath Mesolithic flint-working site during the 1920s (NHER 6246). Sainty's excavations produced several thousand Mesolithic flints and it is therefore likely that the majority of the many finds in museum collections marked "Kelling" or "Kelling Heath" were found at this site.

FINDS IN THE NORWICH CASTLE MUSEUM

Mesolithic finds (potentially from NHER 6246):

The NCM's T. F. Newnam collection includes a number of "Mesolithic flint implements" from Kelling (NWHCM : 1950.114.7; NWHCM : 1950.114.17). This is one of the collections listed on an NCM record card (S1) as potentially from or containing material from Sainty's site (NHER 6246). This collection also includes a fragmentary partly polished Neolithic flint axehead. This object was identified by F. Healy (S2) and was previously recorded separately as NHER 14792.

The NCM also holds a small collection of Mesolithic flints from Kelling Heath that were collected by A. Q. Watson (NWHCM : 1953.177.4). These are listed as 1 end scraper, 2 "saws" and 2 "points". This was also one of the collections listed on an NCM record card (S1) as potentially from or containing material from Sainty's site (NHER 6246).

Later prehistoric finds:

The NCM Fitch Collection includes a complete Beaker vessel recorded as being from Kelling Heath (NWHCM : 1894.76.608). This is described by (S1) as a Type C Beaker of high-brimmed globular type, 5 inches [12.5cm] high, 4 inches [10cm] in diameter and 3 9/10 inches [10cm] across mouth. A B/C (Willmott). The Beaker is listed in (S2) and is one of the vessels illustrated in (S3) and (S4). Noted in (S5).
A note added to an NCM record map (S4) by R. R. Clarke suggests that it is perhaps more likely that this object was actually recovered from the Gallow Hill barrow cemetery (NHER 6201), which lies in a small area of heath at the western edge of the parish.

FINDS IN OTHER MUSEUMS

The King's Lynn Museum holds a large collection of Mesolithic worked flints that were recovered on Kelling Heath on unknown dates by Dr. T. Matthews (KILLM : 1977.130.7). These finds are listed by the museum as being from "the Kelling Heath Mesolithic site". As noted by (S1) that it is nevertheless unclear whether this means they were from the 'main' site identified by J. E. Sainty (NHER 6246), or from elsewhere on the heath. Matthews' finds are recorded by (S1) as "50 microlithic blades and cores" and by the King's Lynn Museum as including "microliths, core tools and blades".
Information from (S1).
Previously recorded as NHER 14378.