Find Spot record 1057/0/1 - Unstratified Mesolithic Flint Scatter, Honey Hill

A significant assemblage of Mesolithic flint artefacts was recovered during fieldwalking surveys over a period of ten years. This Mesolithic assemblage constitutes one of the most important recognised in the county.

{1} Gives Honey Hill "accurate" ngr as SP637767, which does not tally with Saville's documentation. Assemblage of approximately 116 microliths, 100 cores, 41 scrapers, 5 gravers, 2 micro-burins, 1 pick, and un-counted blades and/or flakes and other worked flints. Collection of B.Waite.

{2} Detailed discussion of Mesolithic flints found at Honey Hill in the context of other finds in England. Two types are discussed, the 'pick' and a 'fabricator'-type of tool. Illustrations.
The context of the implements must be considered. All derive from Midland Mesolithic surface assemblages which on the basis of their general content and particularly their microlithic component can all be related to the Later Mesolithic facies, and would formerly have been classed as ‘British Sauveterrian’.
In the case of the picks from Honey Hill, although the site has yielded a few post-Mesolithic flints, there is no doubt that these implements are Mesolithic since they are fabricated on a coarse raw material only exploited for the Mesolithic industry. The Honey Hill site has so far produced five picks from an assemblage which includes over 500 microliths and over 400 scrapers. None of the other Midland assemblages so far has included picks, but only two have produced an axe each, and it would be wrong to assign any special status to the Honey Hill industry when core-tools are so infrequent, as in terms of its more common tool components it adheres to the general pattern.
The worn-edge ‘fabricator’-type implements are more widespread, and examples from four different sites are included here, though they are most common at Honey Hill (26 examples) and Over Whitacre in Warwickshire (12 examples). As these implements are all from surface scatters which also contain some post-Mesolithic material there must occasionally be uncertainty over their Mesolithic date, particularly if their patination is slight, and while the Mesolithic status of the illustrated examples seems in little doubt. The possibility of this being a tool form which occurs in local Neolithic and Bronze Age contexts should be borne in mind.

{2} A large assemblage of flint tools including 500 microliths, over 400 scrapers and 5 picks, as well as a few post-Mesolithic objects.

{3} Prolific findspot of Mesolithic artefacts. The finds are concentrated on the west side of the arable field on the north-west side of the hilltop (field centred SP63707694), with the scatter extending across the rest of this field, and into the adjacent arable field to the north-east, on the other side of the road. The maximum extent covers an area c.400m wide. Previous references (Wymer et al) refer to this same assemblage. All finds were collected by B.Waite irrespective of type or size. All were flint, although the site has produced two un-retouched struck pieces of black chert. The flint is pebble flint, presumably obtained locally from quaternary deposits such as the adjacent boulder clay or from river gravels.
Honey Hill has produced some post-Mesolithic material, most notably a leaf-shaped arrowhead, but the vast majority of finds can be regarded as typically Mesolithic. Their analysis follows that used recently for Warwickshire Mesolithic assemblages. Detailed description of artefacts, with illustrations.
The Honey Hill finds constitute the first substantial Mesolithic assemblage to be published from Northamptonshire, and the findspot appears to be the most prolific yet recognised in the county, with the possible exception of Duston. Since they lack stratification, associated features or absolute dating, the Honey Hill finds can simply be said to represent the surviving remains of the production and use of tools of Mesolithic facies during an occupation of the hilltop of unknown duration.

<1> Wymer J.J. (Editor), 1977, Gazetteer of Mesolithic Sites in England and Wales, p.216 (checked) (Series). SNN13869.

<2> SAVILLE A., 1977, Two Mesolithic Implement Types, p.3-8 (checked) (Article). SNN46758.

<3> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1981, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.77-8 Site 1 (checked) (Series). SNN77381.

<4> Saville A., 1981, Honey Hill, Elkington: A Northamptonshire Mesolithic Site, p.1-13 (checked) (Article). SNN104584.

<5> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1975, Archaeology in Northamptonshire 1974, p. 154 (Report). SNN41605.

Record last edited

May 15 2024 12:14PM