NHER 6356 (Find Spot record) - Unprovenanced potentially Palaeolithic worked flints, 'Roman Camp Pit' (Runton, poorly located)

During the early 20th century a number of potentially Palaeolithic worked flints were recovered from a pit described as lying on the Cromer Ridge, near the "Roman Camp". The area known as Roman Camp lies to the south of West Runton, but the exact location of this pit remains unclear. One possible candidate is a large former extraction pit at TG 1779 4173 that was identified during a Rapid Identification Survey in 2012 (NHER 57895). This pit is clearly visible on aerial photographs taken in 1946.

REPORTED DISCOVERIES

Pre 1938. Field Observation.
In 1942 J. Reid Moir and D. Baden-Powell published a description of a Palaeolithic flint industry they named the 'Runtonian', which had been recovered from a series of pits in and around Runton (S1). This industry, first reported in 1938 (S2), was described as comprising unmodified flakes, possible cores, scrapers and other retouched flake implements. These objects had been recovered from deposits described as Corton Sands and Briton’s Lane Gravel – material associated with the Anglian glaciation. The seven implements illustrated in (S1) include a small scraper from the "pit on the Cromer Ridge near the 'Roman Camp'". Wymer (S3) has noted that at least some these pieces "appear to be genuine artefacts", although he notes that insufficient evidence was presented to confirm their suggested provenance.

FINDS IN MUSEUM COLLECTIONS

Various finds in museum collections appear to be the surviving examples of Moir and Baden-Powell's "Runtonian Industry". A number of these objects are noted by (S4) and (S5); all of which were previously recorded under NHER 6355.

Norwich Castle Museum:
The NCM holds a "Palaeolithic chipped flint" recovered on "hills near Roman camp" (NWHCM : 1963.27); this had also been received from the Ipswich Museum. A Palaeolithic handaxe from West Runton is also listed in the museum's records as being from the Roman Camp pit (NWHCM : 1962.581). This is however a handaxe that was found by A. C. Savin in 1878 and although its exact provenance is not known, all of the available information points to it being found on the coast (see NHER 6358).

British Museum:
The British Museum holds a collection of 16 flints from the 'Roman Camp' that were donated by Reid Moir (1943,1101). At least some of these objects are now recorded as natural and it is likely that the others are also fairly dubious artefacts. A note on (S5) describes this collection as comprising nothing more than natural 'eoliths'.

Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 16 July 2014.