Monument record MDO47749 - Shaft, Fir Tree Field, Down Farm, Gussage St Michael

A shaft at least 25 metres deep and up to 9.5 metres wide at the top, discovered in Fir Tree Field, Down Farm a short distance from the Dorset Cursus. Initially identified as a cropmark, the shaft appears unlikely to be anything other than a natural feature. Although it cuts through two seams of nodular flint, these are of poor quality and appear not to have been exploited. However, its fill (it has been excavated to a depth of circa 13 metres) comprises a series of deposits spanning the early Mesolithic into the Early Bronze Age containing an important and unique environmental sequence as well as, towards the top, a sequence of well-stratified artefactual material. Two poorly preserved roe deer skeletons were found at depths of 5.5 metres and 7 metres, and both are interpreted as pit fall victims of Mesolithic date. Intriguingly many of the soil lenses within the Mesolithic parts of the fill contain charocal and burnt flints. The upper 3 metres of the shaft - the weathering cone - contains the bulk of the artefactual material, ranging in date from the later Mesolithic to the Early Bronze Age, including a complete stratified ceramic sequence from Plain Bowls through Peterborough Wares to Beaker sherds. Other finds included microliths, parts of polished flint axes, animal bones and a transverse flint arrowhead. At least some of these finds, particularly the later material, may be associated with the late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age pits and round house (SU 01 SW 164) found in the immediate vicinity.

[Located from the published plan. The interim report gives no grid reference] A shaft at least 25 metres deep and up to 9.5 metres wide at the top, discovered in Fir Tree Field, Down Farm a short distance from the Dorset Cursus (Linear 41). Initially identified as a cropmark, the shaft has been excavated by Martin Green and appears unlikely to be anything other than a natural feature, despite some early opinions. Although it cuts through two seams of nodular flint, these are of poor quality and appear not to have been exploited. However, its fill (it has been excavated to a depth of circa 13 metres - a further 12 metres has been augered without the bottom being reached) comprises a series of deposits spanning the early Mesolithic into the Early Bronze Age containing an important and unique environmental sequence as well as, towards the top, a sequence of well-stratified artefactual material. Two poorly preserved roe deer skeletons were found at depths of 5.5 metres and 7 metres, and both are interpreted as accidental pit fall victims of Mesolithic date. Intriguingly many of the soil lenses within the Mesolithic parts of the fill contain charocal and burnt flints. The upper 3 metres of the shaft - the weathering cone - contains the bulk of the artefactual material, ranging in date from the later Mesolithic to the Early Bronze Age, including a complete stratified ceramic sequence from Plain Bowls through Peterborough Wares (over 50 sherds) to Beaker sherds (over 140 present). Other finds included a group of seven microliths found so close together that they may have entered the shaft in a hafted state, parts of polished flint axes, a small roughout axe, animal bones, a transverse flint arrowhead, and an in situ hearth. At least some of these finds, particularly the later material, may be associated with the late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age pits and round house (SU 01 SW 164) found in the immediate vicinity. (1)

<1> Green, M and Allen, M J, 1997, 'An Early Prehistoric Shaft on Cranborne Chase'; Oxford Journal of Archaeology Volume 16 (2) (Article in serial). SDO16735.

<2> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1317487 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 15 2024 4:53PM