Monument record MNL 061 - River Lark, Mildenhall

Please read our .

Summary

Iron, socketed spearhead, 17 inches long, "about 150 BC" [actually Saxon], from bank of the River Lark;.

Location

Grid reference Centred TL 706 742 (100m by 100m) Approximate
Map sheet TL77SW
Civil Parish MILDENHALL, FOREST HEATH, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

Iron, socketed spearhead, 17 inches long, "about 150 BC", from bank of the River Lark (S1-S3).
Iron spearhead with one rivet hole, decorated with wavy and straight line decoration around circumference of rivet hole area. Found circa 1955 (S4).
"Iron Age spear (100-150 BC) (S3,S6,R1).
This spearhead is Sax not IA.
For another large iron spearhead `found in river near Mildenhall Mill' (this may also be from this location?) see MNL Misc Sax.
1988: Conserved by Norwich Castle Conservation Dept and found to have traces of mineralised wood inside the socket (S7).
For another Sax iron spearhead with decoration see IKL Misc Sax. Although only one rivet hole survives the opposite side of the socket has rusted away, where a second may have existed. The socket is of closed tubular socket form (welded?), unlike the slit for (e.g.) IKL Misc, this together with the narrow mid-ribbed blade suggest it to be of Swantons form B2 of late C4 or C5 (S8) or Viking (BM guide).

Sources/Archives (11)

  • --- Unpublished document: Pendleton C F. 1987. Catalogue of finds and findspots,1965-1987, unpublished.
  • <R1> (No record type): MIHLM, 6 inch record map, entry for 1957.
  • <S1> Bibliographic reference: Suffolk Institute of Archaeology. Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology. Archaeol in Suff, 1957, PSIA, 27, 1957, (3), 183.
  • <M1> Unpublished document: Suffolk Archaeological Service. Parish Files. Parish file: X-rays, letter, drawing.
  • <S2> Index: Ipswich Museum. IPSMG card. IPSMG, card EIA.
  • <S3> Index: OS. OS Card. OS, card TL77SW37.
  • <S4> (No record type): MIHLM, record sheet, MIHLM 57.3, 1957.
  • <S5> (No record type): Briscoe Lady G, 1957 diary, 18 April 1957, 35-36, (ill).
  • <S6> (No record type): Briscoe Lady G, 1957 diary, 12 September 1957, 77.
  • <S7> (No record type): Wardley K, letter, 24 May 1988.
  • <S8> (No record type): Swanton M J, The Spearheads of the AS Settlements, 1973, 37-45.

Finds (2)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

Feb 24 2021 11:26AM

Comments and Feedback

Do you have any more information about this record? Please feel free to comment with information and photographs, or ask any questions, using the "Disqus" tool below. Comments are moderated, and we aim to respond/publish as soon as possible.