Monument record MDO8522 - Neolithic Pit, near Dalmeny Road, Southbourne, Bournemouth

A pit containing Early Neolithic pottery and flints was exposed by coastal erosion just east of the junction of Dalmeny Road and Solent Road, Southbourne. The pit was examined by J B Calkin in April 1946. It was 6 feet in diameter at the top, 3 feet at the bottom and was 4 feet deep. The flints comprised 16 serrated blades, a possible arrowhead, and over 80 flakes, blades and cores. The finds are in the Calkin Collection in the British Museum.

Calkin discovered some Neolithic pottery on the shore at Southbourne following a fall of material through coastal erosion. This had exposed the remains of a pit cut by a WW2 defence trench. The pit was investigated by cutting back the cliff face in three main stages. The pit was about 1.2m across and at least 1.1m deep. It was filled with dark loamy soil with patches of gravel. The pit contained the remains of at least seven Neolithic bowls, some worked flint and burnt unworked flint and charcoal. The flints comprised 16 serrated blades, 11 blades with worn edges, 11 cores and about 60 waste flakes and part of a possible lance head. <1-2>

(SZ 15369099) A pit containing Neolithic A pottery and flints, exposed by erosion in the cliff, just 25 yds east of the corner of Dalmeny Road and Solent Road, Southbourne, was examined by the author in April 1946. Dimensions of pit, 6' diam at the top, 3' at the bottom, and 4' deep. <1>

The flints comprised 16 serrated blades, 11 blades with worn edges, 11 cores and about 60 waste flakes and part of a possible lance head. The industry, apart from the absence of scrapers, closely resembled that found in the ditch of Holdenhurst Long Barrow, as did the pottery, examined by S Piggott and classified as Neolithic A1 phase <2>.

Finds are in the Calkin Collection, British Museum. <1-2>

There is now no trace of this pit. It has presumably been destroyed by cliff erosion. <3>

<1> Calkin J B, 1947, Neolithic Pit at Southbourne, p27-32 (Article in serial). SWX4353.

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1948, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1947, 29-32 (Serial). SDO47.

<2> Calkin, J B, 1949, Annotated Record Map Corr. 6 (J B Calkin 1949) (Map). SWX2587.

<3> Aldsworth, F G, Various, Field Investigators Comments FGA, F1 FGA 31-MAR-69 (Unpublished document). SWX1161.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 458614 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 18 2023 4:04PM