Find Spot record MDO8509 - Mesolithic finds, Barrow Plot, Wick Lane, Bournemouth

A quantity of Mesolithic flintwork was recovered from a field known as Barrow Plot on the south side of Wick Lane during gravel extraction in 1926-9. This included three tranchet axeheads, one other axehead and a pick.

A gravel pit in a plot of ground on the south side of Wick Lane adjacent to a barrow was active during 1926-9. Local antiquarian Herbert Druitt kept a close watch on this site and managed to recover a large quantity of finds from the Lower Palaeolithic to the Iron Age. The finds included a small quantity of possible mesolithic flint. This included three transverse axes, one other axe and one pick. (1) (2)

(SZ 15259210) In 1926 a gravel pit was opened in the plot of ground on the south side of Wick Lane, gravel digging starting 12 yds from the western edge of the barrow (See SZ 19 SE 21).

During the following 3 years almost an acre was excavated, and a great deal of the pottery found was saved and taken into the Druitt Collection, as well as Pa and Ne implements.

The following items were found
PA 9 hand axes (Acheulian).
Ne'A' 2 leaf arrowheads; 5 flint axes.
Me 12 transverse arrowheads; 1 axe or adze of stone; 1 plano-convex
knife; 1 microlith; 7 picks.
EBA 2 Barbed and tanged arrowheads; 1 discoidal knife.
MBA four urns (tripartite): 1 bronze spearhead.
LBA 11 urns or cremations (barrel & bucket urns).
LBA/EIA 1 urn, and few fragments of IA 'A' pottery. (1-4).

Possible bucket urns found near earlier barrow at Wick Lane; now in the Druitt Collection (a).

MBA Spearhead: Socketed with loops half-way along the socket. A very pronounced mid-rib to the blade (5).

The site of the gravel pit has now been built over. (6)

SZ 154922. Three Mesolithic tranchet axes, one other axe and a pick found at "Barrow Plot", Wick. Now in Red House Museum, Christchurch. ("Barrow Plot" not located, but probably near the bowl barrow at SZ 15289209 (SZ 19 SE 21).) <2>

<1> Calkin, J B, 1952, Bournemouth Area in Neolithic and Early Bronze Age times, p45-6 (Article in serial). SWX3647.

<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, 106 (Monograph). SWX2026.

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 458583 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 458704 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Nov 3 2023 1:30PM