Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Two handaxes, one small core, and one waste flake were recovered from the terrace gravels at the Shakespeare Farm gravel pit, St. Mary Hoo, between 1977 and c. 1982

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (Lower Palaeolithic to Middle Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 125000 BC)

Associated Finds

• CORE (Lower Palaeolithic to Middle Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 125000 BC)
• FLAKE (Lower Palaeolithic to Middle Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 125000 BC)
• HANDAXE (Lower Palaeolithic to Middle Palaeolithic - 500000 BC to 125000 BC)

Full description

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The well-developed gravels here are attributed to Terrace 3 in BGS mapping (4, 5), and to Shakespeare Gravel by Bridgland, regarded as equivalent to the Swanscombe 100ft terrace deposits (Boyn Hill/Orset Heath Formation) (1). An unusual double-ended ovate handaxe was found at the washing plant in 1977 (given to Rochester Museum) (2), and then a pointed handaxe was found in situ in the gravel by D Bridgland and P Harding in the early 1980s (3). They also found a core and a flake, but not in situ. Lower Palaeolithic implements found at Shakespeare Farm Pit including 1 core, 1 flake and 2 handaxes - 1 found in washing plant in 1977 and the other found in situ in pit face. A further 4 handaxe may possibly relate to this area and site. Objects found in an area of Terrace 3 Gravel geology. (3) Additional bibliography (4-6)

<1> Bridgland, D.R., 2003, The evolution of the River Medway, SE England, in the context of Quaternary palaeoclimate and the Palaeolithic occupation of NW Europe (Monograph). SWX12900.

<2> 1973, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX11222.

<3> Bridgland, D.R. & Harding, P., 1984, Palaeolithic artefacts from the gravels of the Hoo Peninsula. (Article in serial). SKE51555.

<4> Wessex Archaeology, 1993, The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project, Report No.2: The South West and South of the Thames [Vol. I - text], M 5.17 (Monograph). SWX6569.

<5> Wessex Archaeology, 1993, The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project: maps for Report No. 2, Regions 4 & 1, The South West and South of the Thames [Vol II - maps], M 5.17 (Unpublished document). SKE12023.

<6> Roe, D.A., 1968, Gazetteer of British Lower and Middle Palaeolithic Sites (Monograph). SWX6570.

Sources and further reading