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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 86 NE 7
Type of record:Findspot
Name:Lower Halstow, beach of estuary: flint surface finds

Summary

Lower Palaeolithic handaxe found with some derived flint flakes found in a small gravel deposit of redeposited London Clay, the area has been mappped as Alluvium geology. The site has now been destroyed by erosion.

Grid Reference:TQ 8679 6872
Map Sheet:TQ86NE
Parish:LOWER HALSTOW, SWALE, KENT

Monument Types

  • FINDSPOT (Lower Palaeolithic to Middle Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 40001 BC?)

Associated Finds

  • FLAKE (Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 10001 BC)
  • HANDAXE (Lower Palaeolithic to Middle Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 40001 BC?)

Full description

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[TQ 8677 6871] "Palaeolithic. A derived late ST. Acheul or Early Mousterian twisted ovate hand axe, together with some derived flakes with facetted butts from a small gravel deposit situated at 10ft. O.D.resting on redeposited London clay." (1) This site has been destroyed by erosion; it now lies below the high water mark (2). Additional references (3-7).

During the 2012-14 Stour Basin Palaeolithic project this record was reassessed by Dr Francis Wenban-Smith:
[TQ 86790 68721] A small bifacial implement with a twisted profile (thought to be a Palaeolithic handaxe), together with some flakes with facetted butts found on the shore (1); possibly derived from a small nearby gravel deposit situated at 10ft. O.D.resting on redeposited London clay (1, 2, 3). Reported in various secondary sources (4, 5, 6).


<1> PPSEA vol 5 1925-7 p289 Illus 6" map (J P T Burchell) (OS Card Reference). SKE48642.

<2> F1 CFW 18-NOV-63 (OS Card Reference). SKE42634.

<3> Field report for monument TQ 86 NE 7 - November, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE4529.

<4> Roe, D.A., 1968, Gazetteer of British Lower and Middle Palaeolithic Sites, p.165 (Monograph). SWX6570.

<5> Burchell, J. P. T., 1928, A final account of the investigations carried out at Lower Halstow, Kent, p.289 (Article in serial). SWX6576.

<6> Wessex Archaeology, 1993, The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project, Report No.2: The South West and South of the Thames [Vol. I - text], M6.2 (p133) (Monograph). SWX6569.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>OS Card Reference: PPSEA vol 5 1925-7 p289 Illus 6" map (J P T Burchell).
<2>OS Card Reference: F1 CFW 18-NOV-63.
<3>Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 86 NE 7 - November, 1963.
<4>Monograph: Roe, D.A.. 1968. Gazetteer of British Lower and Middle Palaeolithic Sites. 1-355. p.165.
<5>Article in serial: Burchell, J. P. T.. 1928. A final account of the investigations carried out at Lower Halstow, Kent. p.289.
<6>Monograph: Wessex Archaeology. 1993. The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project, Report No.2: The South West and South of the Thames [Vol. I - text]. M6.2 (p133).