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Summary

Part of the Greig collection. Total of 5478 pieces collected from field including 5307 flint, 171 chert, 17 microliths + 15 microburins (mus).

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX69SE19
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 444088
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX69SE/285

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV228591.

Mus=exe 288/1968.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV228592.

Mus=exe 288/1968/4,7,27,320-348.

MUSEUM, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV3813.

SX 6631 9232 Part of the greig collection. Total of 5478 pieces collected from field including 5307 flint, 171 chert, 17 microliths + 15 microburins (mus).

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 05/07/2022 (Website). SDV364039.

[NRHE record: 444088 / SX69SE19] A systematic study of flint working sites is being made by Oscar Greig on the farmlands of East and West Week and the Goosefords, lying south of the main road from Exeter-Okehampton and west of Whiddon Down; they extend for about a mile and are mostly above the 800ft contour. The major concentrations of flint are found beside a number of small springs which issue from the hillside. The most prolific site lies just above Middle Week farm (SX663923); this has produced nearly five thousand pieces of flint including core, scrapers, hollow scrapers, microliths, leaf and barbed and tanged arrowheads, beside quantities of burnt cooking stones. The site extends for about 200 yards from a concentration contained within about half an acre around the spring. Fifteen such concentrations have been located in the sixty-four fields Greig has searched, being generally about two or three hundred yards apart. The workmanship is not of very fine quality and many of the implements may be rejects. The flint is not local; the nearest source for good quality flint is Beer Head (SY 2287); chert and poor quality flint occur on Haldon (SX8983). The general impression is of extensive occupation in late Neolithic times, with some traces of Mesolithic survival, which lasted at least to Early Bronze Age times. (1)
The field containing the most prolific site found by O. Greig is centred at SX 66319232; the other sites are 66159253, 66249280, 66309230, 66409205, 66859223, 66959272, 67059150, 67059170, 67239172, 67299168, 67339120, 67339132, 67059202, 67059210, 67149272, 67209267, 67249295, and 67959225. (2)
Analysis of the East Week artefacts reveals a succession of occupations from Mesolithic times throughout the Neolithic period to the Bronze Age. The Mesolithic occupation which must have been of a very temporary character is mainly concentrated at site (SX 67159270), site MW2 (SX 66319232) and site S6 (SX67059224). Of the other periods the site would seem to have been more important during the Neolithic period. (3)
Further surveys have yielded finds in another fifteen fields. All the East Week artefacts are in the City Museum, Exeter. (4)
Ca.30 flints from 3 adjoining fields including one leaf arrowhead, a hollow-based arrowhead, scrapers, microliths have been found centred on SX672929. The finds included 3 spindle-whorls. The finds are in Exeter City Museum. (5)
The Palaeolithic/Mesolithic flints are in Exeter City Museum, Catalogue Acc No. 288/1968. (6)
Sources:
1) Transactions of the Devonshire Association 85 1953 166-7 (Lady A.Fox)
2) Annotated Record Map (Default value used to record large numbers of archive items which are not separately catalogued. See Monument Recording Guidelines for details of use). Corr 6" (Lady A. Fox
3) Proceedings of the Devonshire AES No 17 1953 8 - 25, map (W.F. Rankine and O. Greig
4) Proceedings of the Devonshire Association No 31 1973 52-5, map (A. Hamlin)
5) Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society 34 1976 14 (Mile H)
6) Pearce SM 1978. Devon in Prehistory. Exeter City Museum 23 (No.7) 32-4
1a) Inf. O Greig. Mill Farm, South Zeal, Okehampton
2b) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments, Inf O. Greig

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV8002 - FLAKE (Mesolithic to Late Bronze Age - 8000 BC to 701 BC)
• FDV8003 - FLAKE (Mesolithic to Late Bronze Age - 8000 BC to 701 BC)
• FDV8001 - MICROBURIN (Mesolithic - 8000 BC to 4001 BC)
• FDV8000 - MICROLITH (Mesolithic - 8000 BC to 4001 BC)
• FDV7997 - ARROWHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2201 BC)
• FDV7999 - CORE (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2201 BC)
• FDV7998 - SCRAPER (TOOL) (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2201 BC)

Associated Events: none recorded

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