Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Mesolithic axe; mammoth tusk fragments discovered at Clubb gravel works

Monument Types

• FINDSPOT (Mesolithic - 10000 BC? to 4001 BC? (at some time))

Associated Finds

• ANIMAL REMAINS (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)
• AXEHEAD (Early Mesolithic to Late Mesolithic - 8500 BC? to 4250 BC?)

Full description

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A "chipped Me. axehead, stained orange - red" [undefined but presumably a Thames pick] was found in 1956 by excavator - operator J. Ray Gofton in gravel dredged from a considerable depth in a flooded part of the ballast pit of Messrs. G. Clubb Ltd. at Darenth. Two portions of mammoth tusk found at the same time were donated to Dartford Museum by the finder, but the axehead passed into the hands of a local schoolboy(a) (b). (1) Gofton is no longer employed by Clubb and his present wherabouts is not known. The findspot, at TQ 55027255, was indicated by the pit foreman who, in company with Dartford Museum authorities, could offer no information on the identity of the schoolboy who took possession of the axe. (2)

Additional Refernces (2-6)

<1> MSS in Dartford Museum File 'Dartford 571 Prehistoric Archaeology' (Notes by J.N. Carreck) (OS Card Reference). SKE47469.

<2> Dartford Museum Donations File. (OS Card Reference). SKE39671.

<3> F1 ASP 01-JUN-65 (OS Card Reference). SKE41871.

<4> F1 ASP 03-JUN-65 (OS Card Reference). SKE41910.

<5> Field report for monument TQ 57 SE 67 - June, 1965 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3104.

<6> Canterbury Archaeological Trust, 1994 Jan, A2/A282 Dartford - Historic Environmental Assessment (Unpublished document). SWX6767.

Sources and further reading