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Summary

Prehistoric flint knapping site near Seven Stones Lane on Mutter's Moor to the northwest of Sidmouth used from the Mesolithic to Bronze Age with a large number of artefacts recovered since the 19th century

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY18NW/65
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: EXE 1948/85
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: EXE/14/1965
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: EXE/A 4083
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: EXE/A 4125
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: RAMM/118/1992
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: RAMM/280/1998 1-5
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: RAMM/701/1988
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: RAMM/98/1995 39-42
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: RAMM/A 4102

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LITHIC WORKING SITE (Mesolithic to Late Bronze Age - 8000 BC to 701 BC (Between))

Full description

Keene, B., Arrowheads from Prehistoric Devon, 15 (Un-published). SDV325505.

Smith, E., 1946, Flint Implements from Sidmouth, 144 (Article in Serial). SDV117510.

Discoidal polished flint knife from Mutter's Moor, Sidmouth datable to the beginning of the Bronze Age with limited distribution mainly in the southeast.

Smith, E., 1952, An attempt to date a Surface Site on Mutter's Moor, Sidmouth, 133-9 (Article in Serial). SDV117500.

Mesolithic/Neolithic industrial site. Three small ploughed fields bordering Seven Stones Lane regarded as a Prehistoric flaking floor. The surface is covered with flints but the chalk has disappeared leaving only a thin layer of poor soil. The subsoil is greensand. The flint is mostly of poor quality and many of the artefacts are made from black or mottled grey Beer flint. A large number of implements cores and flakes have been found. At least five types of arrowhead from Neolithic leaf-shaped to Bronze Age barbed and tanged. Also small tranchet axes, picks and fabricators, all of Mesolithic type. Also Petit Tranchet derivative arrowheads (form G) and two discoidal knives. Arrowheads and knives are late Neolithic to early Bronze Age. Cores include bi-conical, tortoise and Mesolithic cones, while among large nodule tools are several steep scrapers of 'horse-hoof' variety. In 1949 a small secondary Neolithic hand axe, a polished axe and a rubber were found. An appendix refers to another two axes and a possible polisher found near Sidmouth.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1955, SY18NW12 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV117501.

Three small fields bordering Seven Stones Lane on Mutter's Moor regarded as a Prehistoric flaking floor. The axes recovered are in the Sidmouth Museum and various other flints are in the private collection of the finder.

Fox, A., 1955, Twenty-Second Report on the Archaeology and Early History of Devon, 320 (Article in Serial). SDV148060.

In 1955 a small pointed flint axe was found here.

Miles, H., 1976, Flint scatters and Prehistoric settlement in Devon, 14 (Article in Serial). SDV117502.

Large collection of Prehistoric implements from Mutter's Moor. Grid Reference given as SY103-878- .

Wymer, J. J., 1977, Gazetteer of Mesolithic Sites, 63 (Monograph). SDV8096.

Examination of finds in Exeter, Sidmouth and British Museums by Palmer identified a large variety of Mesolithic artefacts among the finds: 2 axes, cores, scrapers, microliths, picks, etc.

Jacobi, R. M., 1979, Early Flandrian Hunters in the South-West, 56 (Article in Serial). SDV117514.

The 'Grand Tranchet' flake axes from Mutter's Moor near Sidmouth are of a type unknown from British Early Hunter contexts but familiar from artefact assemblages of Early Farmer and Chalcolithic age.

Pearce, S. M., 1981, The Archaeology of South West Britain, 263 (Monograph). SDV81689.

Charcoal from Neolithic occupation gives carbon 14 date of 2860BC-115.

Allan, J. P., 2000, Mutters Moor Flints (Un-published). SDV117507.

A blade with secondary work on both edges, a transverse arrowhead, a scraper and a notched flake were found in 1873. In the 1930's/1940's a waste piece and a preparation blade were found. Other finds at the site included 7 scrapers, 7 blades with secondary work, 2 notched flakes and 4 flakes with secondary work. In 1937 3 flint scrapers were found and in 1986 1 burnt flake, 2 notched flakes, 4 flakes with secondary work, 8 other flakes, 5 blades, a scraper and various waste pieces were found.

Exeter Archaeology, 2003, East Devon Heathlands Archaeological Survey, 154, Part 2: Gazetteer, Site No. 410 (Report - Survey). SDV101648.

Industrial flint knapping site identified within area of three small ploughed fields bordering Sevenstones Lane and extending onto moor (additional NGR given, on moor, as SY 103 878). The area on the moor lies within the survey area. Regarded as a flaking floor. Surface covered with flints but chalk has disappeared leaving only thin layer of poor soil. Flint mostly poor quality and many artefacts made from black or mottled grey Beer flint. Large number of implements cores and flakes from Neolithic, Mesolithic and Bronze Age. A Mesolithic hand axe from the same area (SY 1042 8773) is recorded separately (MDV11072).

Exeter Archaeology, 2003-2004, East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Archaeological Survey, Site No. 1777 (Archive - Survey). SDV351568.

Industrial flint knapping site identified within 3 small fields bordering Sevenstones Lane and extending onto moor. Neolithic, Mesolithic and Bronze Age flints recovered.
SMR.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV666 - BLADE (Prehistoric - 698000 BC to 42 AD)
• FDV659 - CORE (Prehistoric - 698000 BC to 42 AD)
• FDV667 - FLAKE (Prehistoric - 698000 BC to 42 AD)
• FDV662 - KNIFE (Prehistoric - 698000 BC to 42 AD)
• FDV663 - SCRAPER (TOOL) (Prehistoric - 698000 BC to 42 AD)
• FDV661 - Axe (Mesolithic - 8000 BC to 4001 BC)
• FDV664 - MICROLITH (Mesolithic - 8000 BC to 4001 BC)
• FDV665 - PICK (Mesolithic - 8000 BC to 4001 BC)
• FDV658 - ARROWHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2201 BC)
• FDV660 - BARBED AND TANGED ARROWHEAD (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV3427 - East Devon heathlands archaeological survey

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