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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 56 SE 38
Type of record:Findspot
Name:South Ash, Parsonage Farm: surface-find of two Palaeolithic handaxes

Summary

South Ash, Parsonage Farm: surface-find of two Palaeolithic handaxes, from gravelly patch over Clay-with-flints that was focus of numerous test-pits looking for eoliths in late 19th century.

Grid Reference:TQ 5975 6272
Map Sheet:TQ56SE
Parish:STANSTED, TONBRIDGE AND MALLING, KENT

Monument Types

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

Associated Finds

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

Full description

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(Area centred TQ 59736272). Area of eolithic finds. (1) On 22nd May, 1865, Benjamin Harrison found a spread of ochreous, much worn gravel at Parsonage Farm. During many years Harrison and his associates visited the site, finding eolithic, palaeolithic and neolithic implements on the surface. To establish whether eoliths occurred in the gravel itself, Harrison excavated pits in 1894, 1896 and 1902 and found many specimens. [Numerous references in this book to eoliths and paleoliths from this site and letters and notes relating to eminent contemporaries of Harrison on the controversy as to whether the eoliths from this site (and others) were produced by man of nature.(2) No field action. (3)

Southern rivers Palaeolithic Project (5)

Two handaxes recorded by Roe in the 1960s (6), held in British Museum.


<1> Rec 6" (E R Harrison) 1928 (OS Card Reference). SKE49032.

<2> Harrison of Ightham 1928 48 55 109 146 176 190 194 197-8 201 206 209 231 249 281-2 381 (ER Harrison) (OS Card Reference). SKE43723.

<3> F1 AC 01-AUG-60 (OS Card Reference). SKE41740.

<4> Field report for monument TQ 56 SE 38 - August, 1960 (Bibliographic reference). SKE2961.

<5> Wessex Archaeology, 1993, The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project, Report No.2: The South West and South of the Thames [Vol. I - text] (Monograph). SWX6569.

<6> Roe, D.A., 1968, Gazetteer of British Lower and Middle Palaeolithic Sites, p137 (Monograph). SWX6570.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>OS Card Reference: Rec 6" (E R Harrison) 1928.
<2>OS Card Reference: Harrison of Ightham 1928 48 55 109 146 176 190 194 197-8 201 206 209 231 249 281-2 381 (ER Harrison).
<3>OS Card Reference: F1 AC 01-AUG-60.
<4>Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 56 SE 38 - August, 1960.
<5>Monograph: Wessex Archaeology. 1993. The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project, Report No.2: The South West and South of the Thames [Vol. I - text].
<6>Monograph: Roe, D.A.. 1968. Gazetteer of British Lower and Middle Palaeolithic Sites. 1-355. p137.