NHER 20281 (Monument record) - Multi-period prehistoric finds and possible occupation sites

13 April 1984. Fenland Project fieldwalking.
Field walked when recently harrowed - bad condition. General scatter of worked flints (c.1), including several tools, a few of which were calcined. Single sherd of Roman pottery also recovered.
E. Rose (NAU), 22 November 1984. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 10 September 2013.

15/16 November 2013. Fenland Project fieldwalking.
Field newly drilled with wheat just showing, soil only moderately weathered. Several discrete concentrations of material identified:

Site MTW 8 (c. 2; TL 6958 9385).
On ridge just emerging from peat. Moderate spread of flints (3 blades and 23 flakes). Max diameter c. 20m. The small patinated blades were potentially Mesolithic, although the flakes were possibly of a later date.

Site MTW 9 (c. 3; TL 6961 9383).
On north-west side of ridge. Sparse to moderate scatter of flints, with occasional bone fragments and 'pot boilers'. Max dimensions 30m NE/SW x 20m NW/SE. The worked flints were not closely datable, although they appear to be post-Mesolithic. The most notable pieces was a possible unfinished arrowhead (leaf-shaped but thick).

Site MTW 10 (c. 4; TL 6963 9387).
On curving ridge above peat. Moderate scatter of flints and 'pot boilers'. Max dimensions 45m NE/SW x 10m NW/SW. The worked flints were predominantly Mesolithic/Early Neolithic and included a discoidal core, a core trimming flake, flakes and blades.

Site MTW 11 (c. 5; TL 6967 9392).
On small ridge. Sparse to moderate spead of 'pot boilers' with occasional flints. Max diameter c. 15m).
Worked flints not closely datable.

Site MTW 12 (c. 6; TL 6963 9393).
On ridge just emerging from peat. Moderate scatter of flints with occasional 'pot boiler'. Max dimensions 30m NE/SW x 10m NW/SE. Worked flints not closely datable.

Site MTW 13 (c. 7; TL 6970 9397).
On ridge just above peat. Sparse to moderate scatter of flints with a few 'pot boilers'. Max dimensions 40m N/S x 15m E/W. The worked flint assemblage (which included a serrated blade fragment) was not closely datable.

Site MTW 14 (c. 8; TL 6974 9392).
Quite widely spread over ridge. Sparse to moderate scatter of flints with occasional 'pot boilers'. Min dimensions 35m NW/SE x 40m NE/SW. The worked flints included cores, flakes, blades and scrapers and were thought to be predominantly Early Neolithic.

Site MTW 15 (c. 9; TL 6975 9397).
On ridge. Sparse to moderate scatter of flints, including a backed knife and a borer. Max dimensions 30m NE/SW x 20m NW/SE. Worked flints not closely datable.

Site MTW 16 (c. 10; TL 6973 9403).
On island emerging from peat. Moderate spread of 'pot boilers'. Max dimensions 30m NE/SW x 15m NW/SE.

Site MTW 17 (c. 11; TL 6977 9402).
Mainly on western tip of ridge. Sparse scatter of worked flints. Max dimensions 20m E/W x 15m NW/SE. The flint assemblage (which included a serrated blade fragment) was not closely datable.

Site MTW 18 (c. 12; TL 6981 9400).
On north-west slope of island down to peat. Moderate to abundant spread of 'pot boilers' with occassional flints. Max dimensions 35m NE/SW x 15m NW/SE. Worked flints not closely datable.

Site MTW 19 (c. 13; TL 6984 9403).
On ridge just above peat. Sparse spread of flint with occasional 'pot boilers'. Max dimensions 40m NE/SW x 15m NW/SE. The worked flints (which included a long-pointed awl) were not closely datable.

Site MTW 20 (c. 14; TL 6987 9397).
Sparse scatter of large flints with rare 'pot boilers'. Max dimensions 40m NW/SE x 18m NE/SW. The worked flints included cores, flakes, blades, a horseshoe scraper and a flake from a ground implement. This assemblage was thought to be predominantly Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age.

For further details see project archive (S1) and final publication (S2). Finds now held by Norwich Castle Museum.
E. Rose (NAU), 22 November 1984. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 10 September 2013.

13 May 1992. Fieldwalking.
Neolithic four end scrapers; two blade tips, one with retouch after patination; one flake fragment; one chisel ended arrowhead, bluish white patina; one fragment of arrowhead, probably tip of oblique arrowhead, bluish white patina, old breaks.
Identified by P. Robins (NCM), 1992
W. Milligan (NCM), 25 October 1996.

19 January 1993. Fieldwalking finds.
Neolithic large chisel arrowhead of conventional design.
Two end scrapers.
All extensively patinated white.
Identified by P.A. Robins (NCM), 25 January 1993.
W. Milligan (NCM), 26 January 1993.

February 1995. Fieldwalking.
Polished axe fragment and flint flake.
See (S2) in file by P. Robins (NCM) 20 February 1995.
W. Milligan (NCM), 16 August 1995.

March 14 1995.
Two leaf arrowheads and flint punch/strike-a-light found on surface.

April 21 1995.
Worked flints, animal bone, charcoal and Beaker pottery found on surface.
See (S2) on flints by P. Robins (NCM) in file.

April 24 1995. Excavation.
In advance of deep trenching for potatoes.
1.5m square dug to marl at 33cm. Pottery, bone, wood, snails, tooth, flint randomly sprinkled in eastern half; floor? No stratification - no features apart from modern plough lines; finds from top 2cm. Beaker domestic?
See (S2) on flints by P. Robins (NCM) in file.

W. Milligan (NCM) gives grid reference for all three events as TL 6979 9400 centred which would place it around context 11 or 12. But (S4) in file gives location as 46 (metres?) from one field boundary and 100 from the other on patch of burnt flint, which suggests rather 6985 9402, context 13.
W. Milligan (NCM), 18 May 1995 and E. Rose (NLA), 18 December 1995.

January 1996. Fieldwalking finds.
Polished flint axe fragment.
Plano-convex knife.
See (S3) in file by P. Robins (NCM), 19 February 1996.
W. Milligan (NCM), 15 February 1996.