Monument record MDO8310 - Mesolithic occupation on Whitcombe Hill, Winfrith Newburgh

A scatter of worked flint and flint working debris, and features possibly associated with occupation. Excavated by S Palmer in 1971 and 1972.

SY 806875. Two dense concentrations of Mesolithic flints, 90.0 metres apart, on sandy heathland on top of Whitcombe Hill; the easternmost site about 11.0 metres west of the Tumulus (site of) (SY 88 NW 2) (at SY 80668746), being excavated during 1971 and 1972. The natural stratigraphy of the site, disturbed during Me times, comprised a top layer of dark humic sand overlying a grey-green sand in turn overlying gravel. Pollen evidence indicates occupation originally during the Atlantic period. There are areas of black sand and big stones concentrated in hollows and associated with an abundance of Me artefacts; smaller circular patches may be postholes, possibly comprising of one or more huts (see illustrations). Some small patches of imported clay contained pollen indicative of Iron Age or later conditions not reconcilable with the Me occupation. (1, 2, 4, 5) Artefacts consisted of about 10,000 blades/flakes, 200 cores, 200 scrapers, 200 microliths, 200 microburins, two axes, six tranchet axes, one pick, and 2,000 other worked pieces. (3).

Record last edited

May 15 2023 1:10PM