NHER 1418 (Find Spot record) - Upper Palaeolithic/Mesolithic and Neolithic worked flints, Gill's holding

1948-1951. Stray Find.
Various prehistoric worked flints found in and around copse on King's Lynn to Hunstanton Road, east of Mount Pleasant, near O.S spot height 69 (Mr Gill's Smallholding). Information from (S1). According to (S1) these flints included long flakes and rounded scrapers of honey coloured flint, axe, a leaf arrowhead of cream coloured flint (found at TF 6827 3652 according to (S2)) and a "nosed tool" that could be Mesolithic. These finds were mentioned in a short a short press article in 1950 (S3), which notes the discovery of "...two beautifully-worked leaf-shaped spear or arrow heads of the Neolithic Age…". This fullest list of the material recovered appears to be that in (S4), which describes the Gill holding as representing a Neolithic "settlement around the spring" (the site lies close to the source of the Heacham Common Drain). The finds are listed as comprising 2 axes, 1 adze (probably the object recorded separately as NHER 1414), 3 leaf-shaped arrowheads and many scrapers and flakes. Lewton-Braine made sketches of the three arrowheads (S5), which are accompanied by additional notes on the assemblage.

The present location of the bulk of this material is unknown, although a somewhat indecipherable note on (S1) would appear to indicate that material from this site is held by one of the York museums. Three pieces from this site were given to the King's Lynn Museum by Lewton-Brain in 1963 (KILLM : 1963.71.2-4). These flints appear to be Mesolithic or earlier in date, being listed in (S6) as 1 blade, 1 microlith and 1 miscellaneous piece. In his personal records R. Jacobi (who catalogued this material) described the microlith as a trapezoidal backed and bi-truncated blade of possible Creswellian date (i.e. Upper Palaeolithic). Information from (S7).

Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 16 December 2013.