NHER 5797 (Find Spot record) - Multi-period finds, Barnham Cross Common (Thetford, poorly located)

Various objects believed to have been recovered from Barnham Cross Common prior to the mid 20th century, but with little precise locational information. This area of common land takes its name from a medieval stone boundary cross, the remains of which still stand close to the Norfolk county boundary (NHER 5945). This area is also commonly referred to simply as 'Barnham Common'. It should be noted that there is a degree of uncertainty regarding the provenance of these finds as the area to the south of the cross (in Suffolk), was also regarded as part of Barnham Cross Common. This can be seen on Henry King's 1868 map of Thetford, which clearly marks Barnham Cross Common as comprising land in both counties. In certain cases it is also possible that Barnham Common has been confused with Barnham Heath (TL 88 79), which lies in Suffolk, to the east of Barnham village.

PALAEOLITHIC FINDS

Pre 1913. Stray Find.
A Mr. F. Russell exhibited an ovate handaxe from "Barnham Common, Thetford" at a meeting of the Prehistoric Society of East Anglia in 1913 (S1). Information from (S3).
As noted by Wymer (S2) it is possible that this was in fact from one of the gravel pits on Barnham Heath in Suffolk (which were to produce a significant number of Palaeolithic finds in subsequent years).

This handaxe may be amongst a number of flint objects from the Thetford area that were donated to the NCM by a T. H. Russell, in 1939 (NWHCM : 1939.146).

In his discussion of the material from Barnham Heath Wymer (S2) also notes that the British Museum Sturge Collection has a single handaxe that is listed in (S18) as coming from Barnham, Norfolk. This object is also noted on (S19), although this card is now marked "Suffolk" and it should also be noted that the museum's records also now record this handaxe as being from Barnham in Suffulk (2011,8109.768).

2 August 1922. Stray Find.
The Thetford Museum holds 2 Palaeolithic flakes that are recorded as being from Barnham Cross Common (THEHM : 1975.342). Both were found in 1922, one on a "stone heap [in] pit nearest main road". The second flake was found in stone put on the Mundford Road "said by roadmen to be from Barnham Cross Common".
Information from (S3) and museum records.

Pre 1924. Stray Find.
The Norwich Castle Museum (NCM) holds a single handaxe that is recorded as coming from a gravel pit on Barnham Cross Common. This object is part of the H. H. Halls Collection (NWHCM : 1924.83.50) and is listed in (S4). It is described on (S17) and in (S2) as being a slightly rolled cordate handaxe. It is also listed in (S5) and (S6).

This handaxe was previously recorded under NHER 5794 but has been removed from that record as there is no evidence to suggest it was recovered from that particular location. It should also be noted that there is no cartographic evidence for a gravel pit on Barnham Cross Common, although one did lie a little way to the north-west, close to the Thetford Union Workhouse (TL 8675 8229). It is possible that this object was in fact recovered from one of the many pits that were open on Barnham Heath by this time.

MESOLITHIC, NEOLITHIC AND BRONZE AGE FINDS

Pre 1905. Stray Find.
Barnham Common appears to have been one of the areas that was examined by W. G. Clarke in the early 20th century. In (S7) he describes having found, about 2' from the surface "…two heaps of fire-marked flints, probably "pot-boilers", and between them a layer about 2 inches thick containing charcoal, burnt bones and some small pebbles". It is unclear what form of feature had exposed these deposits. A number of years later Clarke found further pot boiler spreads on "Barnham Common" - see NHER 5794. Clarke's surface finds from Barnham Common included a rubbed fabricator that is noted in (S7) and illustrated in (S8).

2 July 1910.
Barnham Cross Common was visited by the then newly formed Prehistoric Society of East Anglia in 1910. The principal purpose of their visit was to examine the site where three long barrows had apparently stood until the 1870s (see NHER 5923). According to (S9) a number of flints were recovered, including a fine "pygmy" (a Mesolithic microlith) and several Neolithic scrapers. Some or all of these finds may in fact have come from the Suffolk part of the common; it being noted that the microlith represented what was at the time "...only the third Suffolk site..." to have produced such artefacts.
P. Watkins (HES), 21 June 2013.

Pre 1926. Stray Finds.
The NCM holds a number of flint objects that are recorded as having been found by H. Dixon Hewitt on "Barnham Common". It appears that Barnham Common was Dixon Hewitt's Site XXX. According to (S10) there is a reference in (S11) to a barbed and tanged arrowhead and a "triangular arrowhead" being found by Hewitt on molehills in 1912. These were previously recorded as NHER 5811. The finds in the NCM are listed in (S12) as comprising:
2 leaf-shaped arrowheads and 1 barbed and tanged arrowhead (NWHCM : 1922.39 : A)
1 leaf-shaped arrowhead and 1 transverse petit tranchet derivative arrowhead (NWHCM : 1926.39 : A)
P. Watkins (HES), 21 June 2013.

Pre 1940. Stray Find.
The Thetford Museum hold a Neolithic chipped flint axehead (THEHM : 1975.296) that was found "8ft under surface" on Barnham Common some time prior to 1940. Information from museum records.

Pre 1960.
A Neolithic laurel leaf found on 'Barnham Common' is included on a distribution map that accompanies (S13). No details of this find are given, although all of the artefacts listed were held by either the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology or the British Museum (Sturge Collection).
P. Watkins (HES), 21 June 2013.

ROMAN FINDS

1892. Stray Find.
According to (S14) a single sherd of Samian pottery was found on Barnham Cross Common in in 1892.
Information from record cards (S15). See also record card (S20).
Previously recorded as NHER 5841.
P. Watkins (HES), 21 June 2013.

SAXON AND MEDIEVAL FINDS

?1920s. Stray Find.
At an unknown date an iron spearhead with a split socket (34.5 cm long) was recovered "from road" on Barnham Cross Common. This is now held by the Thetford Museum (THEHM : 1979.175). Although recorded on (S16), the museum records note that this object is probably medieval.
Previously recovered as NHER 5873.
P. Watkins (HES), 21 June 2013.