Find Spot record MDO7010 - Mesolithic flints in the garden of No 26 Briantspuddle

SY 8171 9323. A surface find of worked flints in the garden of Mrs P Smith at 26, Bryantspuddle, led to a small trial trench being dug in which a few Mesolithic type blades and cores were found along with broken china, glass, etc. in the disturbed top soil. At a depth of sixteen inches, a layer of slightly sandy clay was encountered on which another two flakes were found. The clay at the south end was 25 ins in depth and lay on gravel. No artefacts were found an there was no trace of flint in the clay or on the gravel surface. It could not be decided whether a flint site had existed here, or nearby. <1>

There are about six cores and two other worked flints. <2>

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1962, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1961, 82 (Serial). SDO61.

‘MESOLITHIC AND OTHER WORKED FLINTS AT BRYANTSPUDDLE, DORSET.
As a result of the discovery of some worked flints (D.C.M. 1961.17) in Mrs. P. Smith’s garden at no. 26 Bryantspuddle, SY 81719323, a small trial trench, 8 feet by 4 feet, was dug in the centre of the garden on 3rd May 1961. The disturbed black top-soil was found to contain a few Mesolithic type blades and cores, well mixed with broken china, glass, plaster and iron nails down to a depth of 16 inches. At that depth a layer of slightly sandy clay was met and, directly on this, two Mesolithic type flakes were found. The clay was found at the south end of the trench to be 25 inches in depth and to rest on a bed of mixed gravel. No artifacts were found in the clay, nor in the time available it was not possible to remove more than a few cubic feet of the clay at the south end of the trench, but I am fairly confident that they clay does not contain worked flints.

One is left with the conclusion that either (i) the garden has been worked during the last couple of centuries to the point where the Mesolithic surface, if it existed there, has been mixed up with the present top-soil, or (ii) at some later period the Mesolithic flints were brought and spread over the garden area. Normally I would expect a Mesolithic working site to be on a more sandy surface than is present here, but such may exist within 50 yards or so.’

<2> Wymer, J J, and Bonsall, C, 1977, Gazetteer of Mesolithic sites in England and Wales, with a gazetteer of Upper Palaeolithic sites in England and Wales, 67 (Monograph). SWX2026.

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 456357 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 23 2024 12:37PM