Monument record MDO8804 - Mesolithic flints, Sopley Common, Hurn

Mesolithic flints, including microburins, scrapers, retouched blades, cores and flakes, have been found on Sopley Common. A lot of these flints were burnt, perhaps suggesting a habitation site.

Mesolithic flints have been found on Sopley Common. These include three microburins, 2 convex scrapers, three retouched blades, five microcores, 43 waste flakes and 3 waste blades. A lot of the flints were burnt, perhaps suggesting a habitation site. (1-3)

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Records, SZ 19 NW 37 (Index). SDO131.

A total of 70 flints were found at a Mesolithic site 30 paces south of the O.D. stone and Avon Common in 1904-5. The flints comprised cores, gravers, micro-burins and blades. All are retained by the finder, J Draper. (1)

This site was not identified on the ground but it is clear that a siting at SZ 12929744, on Sopley not Avon Common, is indicated, some 30.0m S of the old OS block in the top of a barrow (SZ 19 NW 38). (2)

Sopley Common, approx. SZ 130977. Mesolithic material includes 3 micro burins, 2 convex scrapers, 3 retouched blades, 5 microcores, 43 waste flakes and 3 waste blades.

A lot of the artifacts are burnt. This could indicate the presence of a habitation site. (3)

No Ordnance Datum stone is known in the area of Avon Common. If the O.D. stone referred to above (Authy.1) were that on Sopley Common in its original position, the site should be at SZ 12929745. The discovery of mesolithic flakes within the barrow (SZ 19 NW 38) suggests that the site found earlier is indeed in this locality, extending under the barrow and perhaps into the firebreak. The alternative siting "on Sopley Common" given by Palmer is within the plantation, 150 yards north of the boundary of the common. (4)

( 1a) General reference oral J C Draper 3 East St Fareham notebook and sketch-plan
( 1) Field Investigators Comments F1 ASP 17-OCT-68
( 2) Field Investigators Comments F2 CFW 02-APR-69
( 3) General reference Hants FC and AS 27 1970 25 (S.Palmer)
( 4) General reference Arch Survey of Sopley Common 1976 3 (P.Aitken)

<2> Palmer, S, 1970, The Mesolithic Industries of Mother Siller's Channel, Christchurch, and the Neighbouring Areas. Excavation Report., 25 (Article in serial). SWX3924.

<3> 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, 121 (Monograph). SWX2026.

Record last edited

Nov 8 2013 2:53PM