NHER 6255 (Find Spot record) - Possible Palaeolithic flint scraper

Pre 1929. Field Observation.
In 1929 J. Reid Moir reported a number of what he believed to be Palaeolithic implements that had been recovered from the "cannon-shot gravels" exposed along the North Norfolk coast (S1). These objects were found by J. Reid Moir, J. E. Sainty and G. Maynard during fieldwork funded by the Percy Sladen Trust. The pieces described and illustrated in (S1) include a "square-ended scraper from Glacial gravel" that had been found "west of the Lifeboat House" in Sheringham. Information from (S2).

This scraper appears to be the retouched flake/flake implement from Sheringham that is listed by Roe (S2) (the reference "PPSEA I p. 8" given by Roe is presumably an error and should read PPSEA VI p. 8). This scraper is also noted by Wymer in (S3), although he regarded this and most of the other objects figured in (S1) as "dubious artefacts". It is also noted in (S4) and (S5), although no additional information is given.

The Norwich Castle Museum holds a "chipped flint" that is recorded as being found on the beach at Weybourne "near Lifeboat House" (NWHCM : 1963.29). This was transferred from the Ipswich Museum in 1963. This find was probably originally donated by J. Reid Moir and its recorded provenance suggests that it was probably actually from somewhere in the vicinity of this site. As with many of the objects Moir donated to the Ipswich Museum this is potentially a naturally fractured flint rather than a true artefact.
Information from (S6).

The mapped extent of this record indicates only the approximate area is which this object was probably found. The site of the Lifeboat House itself is now recorded separately, as NHER 60107.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 18 July 2014.