Find Spot record MDO6801 - Palaeolithic finds from Canford Pit or Harvey's Pit, Poole

Palaeolithic handaxes, flakes, cores and lithic implements were found by Dr E H Kitchen between 1923-1940 in a gravel pit at Canford. The pit is variously named Canford Pit, Harvey's Pit or Harvey's Lane Pit. The Kitchen collection in the Bournemouth Natural Science Society museum includes many handaxes from this pit, some pointed and some ovate, and of Acheulian character. <1>

This gravel pit is virtually disused, and was not being worked when the site was investigated. There were no surface finds. The depth of the pit averages 12ft. In the BNSS Museum are dozens of palaeoliths from this pit, some pointed and some ovate, and of Acheulian character; all are in the kitchen collection and were seen by the investigator. <2>

The finds from Harvey's Lane Corner pit include 29 handaxes, 53 flakes as well as cores and flakes in the British Museum. <3>

Three handaxes found c. 1930s at the base of 12-15 ft of gravel on sand or clay in Harvey's Lane Gravel Pit and now in the Budden Collection. Lower Palaeolithic implements including 31 handaxes, 1 roughout, 1 core, 14 retouched flakes, 39 flakes, 4 miscellaneous objects and 1 Levallois core from gravel pits in Canford are in the British Museum Budden Collection. The geology in the area is Terrace 9 Gravel. <4>

It is unclear whether the material in the Budden and Kitchen collection are from the same pit. Further research is needed to sort this out. (P Bellamy 13/2/2012).

<1> Calkin, J B, Annotated Record Map Corr 6, 1950 (Map). SWX8214.

<2> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 14-NOV-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<3> Roe, Derek A, 1968, A Gazetteer of British Lower and Middle Palaeolithic sites, 48 (Monograph). SWX4454.

<4> Wymer, J, 1993, The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project: the Upper Thames Valley, the Kennet Valley and the Solent drainage system, 124 (Monograph). SWX4473.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457966 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 4 2023 4:04PM