Find Spot record MDO3699 - Scatter of burnt flint near Chettle Long Barrow, Chettle

A surface scatter of burnt flint around 20 metres in diameter. The area of the scatter is described as being raised slightly above the level of the ploughed field, and it may be a shallow mound. No charcoal was seen on the surface. A flint scraper was found in the area.

<1> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1992, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1991, 168 (Serial). SDO91.

'A burnt flint site and flint implements from Chettle.

On a visit in autumn 1990 to the Chettle Long Barrow (Monument Chettle 15, RCHM 1972, 13: Chettle II, Grinsell 1959) an area of dark soil and calcined flint, raised slightly above the level of the ploughed field, was noted approximately 50 m south east of the south end of the barrow (ST 93781352). The east ditch of the long barrow was visible as a soil mark, a slight hollow intervening between its south end and this feature. The thin scatter of burnt flint covered an area 20 m in diameter and from a rapid examination revealed no obvious scatter of charcoal or cultural material other than a flint scraper. This bore no trace of burning and was formed from a discoidal flake c. 50 mm in diameter and 5 mm thick, heavily patinated and with slight iron stains on its edges.

Nearer Chettle House and 250 m north of the Chettle long barrow (Monument Chettle 16, RCHM 1972 13; Chettle I, Grinsell 1959) a flint core was recovered from an eroded pasture area. This was of conical or 'tortoise' form, c. 50 mm in diamteter and 25 mm high. The flint was patinated a light grey colour, rolled and heavily iron stained on all edges.

Other scatters of calcined flint have been noted on the downland of Cranborne Chase at, for instance, Tollard Farnham, where the burnt material was associated with a flint cairn of uncertain fuction and a Neolithic flint industry (Bowden and Tingle 1984).'

Record last edited

Oct 21 2016 10:53AM