Monument record FKM 001 - Hercules Went, Fakenham, (Mesolithic)

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Summary

This is a multi period settlement site reported by Kenneth Landymore to Basil Brown in August 1946, when pottery was found by workmen digging for gravel in Allen Newport Ltd's pit on the field known as Hercules Went.

Location

Grid reference Centred TL 9060 7723 (198m by 290m) Centred on
Map sheet TL97NW
Civil Parish FAKENHAM MAGNA, ST EDMUNDSBURY, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

This is a multi period settlement site reported by Kenneth Landymore to Basil Brown in August 1946, when pottery was found by workmen digging for gravel in Allen Newport Ltd's pit on the field known as Hercules Went. During excavation over 200 hut sites, many with hearths or fire holes, were discovered and what were first thought to be ditches were later described as "sunken paths". The site extends along a gravel terrace overlooking a length of the River Black Bourne called Broad Water. The later excavations revealed a "wharf" which stood on ground bordered by channels from the river. Many artefacts from Paleolithic period to Anglo-Saxon period. The site was worked until 1951 when the gravel ran out and the pit was abandoned. Basil Brown was unable to excavate fully as the gravel was being dug out daily and he conducted a salvage operation very often only able to collect artefacts from the revealed surface beneath the topsoil before the area was demolished so stratification was often impossible. No post holes were found but the area was covered in soft clay patches. The two huts that were fully excavated were rectangular in shape but the others were not able to be defined (S1). Aerial photographs taken 30.5.80 showed pits, ditches, sunken featured buildings?, gravel test pits as cropmarks extending across Hercules Went and into surrounding fields NW of the site excavated by Basil Brown - see Fakenham Magna FKM 015 (S3).
Basil Brown describes this flint tool as "possibly a small pick". Found at the settlement site on Hercules Went. (S2).

Sources/Archives (6)

  • <S1> Unpublished document: Basil Brown. Basil Brown Archive. Brown B, map SAU ref. no. 11, vols I, VIII, X, XI, LIII, LXVII, LXX, LXXXIX, XCI, XCVI, XCVII, XCVII.
  • <S2> Unpublished document: Basil Brown. Basil Brown Archive. Brown B, vol X, 83-84, map SAU ref no. 11.
  • <S3> Oblique Aerial Photograph: SAU. 1980. ALD 11-15,. SAU, AP ALD 11-15, 1980.
  • <S4> Article in serial: Owles, E. & Smedley, N.. Archaeology in Suffolk, 1967.
  • <S5> Digital archive: Jacobi, R.. 2014. Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Lithic Artefact (PaMELA) database. 11284.
  • <S6> Bibliographic reference: Billington, L, P.. 2016. Lithic Scatters and Landscape Occupation in the Late Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic: A Case Study from Eastern England.. M 980.

Finds (2)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (2)

Record last edited

Apr 19 2023 10:16AM

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