Monument record MNL 086 - Gravel Drove, Mildenhall

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Summary

Rapier and dirk from same findspot.

Location

Grid reference Centred TL 6644 7523 (50m by 50m)
Map sheet TL67NE
Civil Parish MILDENHALL, FOREST HEATH, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

Rapier and dirk from same findspot. Excavations 1976 determined subsoils and found worked and calcined flints, pottery and animal bone.

1966 : Bronze rapier with attached portions of hazlewood scabbard found during ploughing - 41.6cm long with trapeze shaped butt, with rounded upper edges and with notches which still hold rivets, flat blade mid-rib. Trumps Lisburn class (S1), Rowlands Class III (S10). Fragments of hazlewood scabbard still adhere to blade. Hazel laths were held together by strips of bronze or copper. Detailed description in (S1). Longest Lisburn class rapier found in Fens and only Lisburn class rapier to retain both rivets. Only MBA weapon to produce remains of scabbard (S1, S2, S3 ,S6). Various incorrect map references cited (S4, S5, S8, S9).

1972 : Bronze rapier/dirk found on ploughsoil surface - 22. 1cms long with trapezoid hilt with two incomplete rivet holes. Lonzenge blade section with edge bevel. Crescent shaped hilt mark on one face. Recent linear grazes on surface. Rowlands Class II, type I (S3). For detailed description see (S7).

January 1976 : Trial excavation, 8 feet x 1 foot 8 inches, on approximate site of above finds revealed peat subsoils with worked flint, burnt flint and bone remains, above an artefact rich clayey-loam soil (layer IV) which produced one bone, one tooth, nine flakes, one flint tool and one burnt flint. A single flint gritted pottery sherd and a single bone were found at the junction of layers III (peat) and IV.

1987 : Fenland survey fieldwalking results not yet available.

Further information in Not to Publish tab (SCCAS staff only)

Sources/Archives (13)

  • <S1> Article in serial: John M. Coles, F. S. A. and Bridget A. V. Trump. 1967. A Rapier and its Scabbard from West Row, Suffolk.. Coles J M & Trump B A V, PCAS, 60, 1967, 1-5, pl 1.
  • <S2> Article in monograph: Trump B A V. 1968. Fenland rapiers in Coles J M & Simpson D D A. Trump B A V, Fenland rapiers in Coles J M & Simpson D D A, Studies in Ancient Europe, 1968, 213-225.
  • <S3> Unpublished document: Pendleton C F. The Distribution of BA Metalwork in NW Suffolk, BA Dissertation, Nottingham 1985.
  • <S4> Index: OS. OS Card. OS, card TL67NE48.
  • <S5> Article in serial: Owles, E. J. and N. Smedley. 1966. Archaeology in Suffolk, 1966. XXX.3, pp. 275–283.. Archaeol in Suff 1966, PSIA, 30, 1966, (3), 283.
  • <S6> Article in serial: Pendleton C F. 1979. A catalogue of the Prehistoric metalwork from West Row.
  • <S7> Unpublished document: Pendleton C. 1979. Excavation report. Pendleton C, Excavation report, Ms, 1979 (ill).
  • <S8> Index: Ipswich Museum. IPSMG card. IPSMG, card LM Bronze Age, 1966.
  • <S9> Bibliographic reference: Edwardson A R. 1968. Bronze Age Metalwork in Moyses Hall Museum.
  • <S10> Bibliographic reference: Rowlands M J. 1976. The Organisation of Middle Bronze Age Metalworking.
  • <S11> Excavation archive: Pendleton C. 1990. Fenland Survey Archive. Fenland survey archive : field record and map.
  • <S12> Photograph: AEL 21 22. Photographs : AEL 21 22.
  • <S13> Digital archive: Historic England. National Record Of the Historic Environment.

Finds (6)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (2)

Record last edited

Dec 15 2020 1:47PM

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