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Summary

Quantity of Prehistoric flint tools from different periods of occupation at Yelland on the River Taw.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS43SE/1
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS43SE 8
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: EXE 10/1985
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: EXE 103/1949
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: EXE 96/1994

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ARTEFACT SCATTER (Mesolithic to Late Bronze Age - 8000 BC to 701 BC)

Full description

Keene, B., Arrowheads from Prehistoric Devon, 11-2 (Un-published). SDV325505.

Untitled Source (Museum Collection). SDV338693.

Flints from Honiton Museum, now in Exeter Museum, includes 13 microliths, 71 blades, 28 cores, 65 flakes, 6 scrapers, 1 notched blade and 1 possible burin from below the clay; a further 725 from surface, including 54 scrapers, 3 leaf-shaped arrowheads, 1 barbed and tanged arrowhead, 2 arrowheads, 22 microliths, 1 microburin, 1 small knife, 1 slug knife and 5 notched blades. Other details: General Accession number 103/1949.

Rogers, E. H., 1938 - 1942, Some Phases in Devon Prehistory, 173-4 (Article in Serial). SDV135858.

Rogers, E. H., 1946, The Raised Beach, Submerged Forest and Kitchen Midden of Westward Ho and the Submerged Stone Row of Yelland, 109-35 (Article in Serial). SDV10007.

Flint tools from different periods of occupation at Yelland on the River Taw. Finds comprise microliths - many broken, scrapers, cores, flakes, arrowheads (both leaf shaped and barbed and tanged), a fabricator, a knife, borers and a flake identified as struck off a polished celt. Also a spindle whorl.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953, SS43SE 8 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV338690.

Probable Mesolithic - Bronze Age occupation site. Microliths, leaf-shaped arrowheads and other stone and flint implements.
1. Implements found on the beach to the north and west of the row (Yelland Stone Row) where it is denuded nearly down to bedrock, probably represent an accumulation from different habitation levels. The arrowheads range from birch leaf and a possible tranchet to a fine barbed and tanged specimen, suggesting an occupation during both the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. There were scrapers, fabricators, serrated flakes and an interesting collection of microliths of very definite types which suggest pigmy affinities.
2. From the topographical description above, the area can be confined to that delineated. A few waste flakes, two scrapers, and one serrated flake were found in this area during field investigation.
3. Two worked flint flakes stolen from this site in the Divisional Museum - accession number 129.

Gardner, K. S., 1957, A Mesolithic Survey of North Devon, 164-165 (Article in Serial). SDV7582.

Described as the most important site in the west country. A fine assemblage of microliths, microburins and other Mesolithic type flints have been found here.

Churchill, D. M. + Wymer, J. J., 1965, Untitled Source, 74-83 (Article in Serial). SDV338691.

Wymer, J. J., 1977, Gazetteer of Mesolithic Sites, 57 (Monograph). SDV8096.

Wymer gives a catalogue of Mesolithic finds from this shoreline, from collections in Exeter, Honiton, Torquay, Bideford and Stroud Museums, and North Devon Athenaeum, Barnstaple. Items include microliths, scrapers, cores, burins, microburins.

Jacobi, R. M., 1979, Early Flandrian Hunters in the South-West, 48,85-6 (Article in Serial). SDV117514.

Jacobi examines and compares the evidence of microlithic inventories from various findspots in the south-west, including Yelland and Westward Ho!, and elsewhere, in order to suggest that during the early Flandrian period, a distinct south-western microlithic technology emerged. He also suggests that the distinction sometimes made between inland and coastal hunting cultures may not be wholly tenable. Other details: Fig 17.

Unknown, 1985, Untitled Source (Un-published). SDV342126.

Accession of material collected by E.H. Rogers in the 1920s and 1930s. Series of flints from the submerged stone row at Yelland, Fremington Parish, North Devon. Collection of circa 450 flakes, 22 cores and scrapers from 'below the clay' (listed on box). Mesolithic. Note: the general accession number for these and other flints from Yelland and Westward Ho! was 103/1949

Exeter Archaeology, 1999, Archaeological Assessment of Proposed Power Station Site at Yelland, North Devon (Report - Assessment). SDV338694.

Exeter Archaeology, 2006, Archaeological Assessment of the Appledore Fish Dock, Appledore, Northam, 2 (Report - Assessment). SDV338648.

Wessex Archaeology, 2007, RMB Chivenor Flood Defence Scheme Barnstaple, Devon: Archaeological Desk-based Assessment, 9 (Report - Assessment). SDV342125.

Other details: WA 1.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV971 - ARROWHEAD (Prehistoric - 698000 BC to 42 AD)
• FDV972 - BLADE (Prehistoric - 698000 BC to 42 AD)
• FDV963 - FLAKE (Prehistoric - 698000 BC to 42 AD)
• FDV967 - KNIFE (Prehistoric - 698000 BC to 42 AD)
• FDV968 - SPINDLE WHORL (Prehistoric - 698000 BC to 42 AD)
• FDV969 - BURIN (Mesolithic - 8000 BC to 4001 BC)
• FDV962 - CORE (Mesolithic - 8000 BC to 4001 BC)
• FDV970 - MICROBURIN (Mesolithic - 8000 BC to 4001 BC)
• FDV960 - MICROLITH (Mesolithic - 8000 BC to 4001 BC)
• FDV961 - SCRAPER (TOOL) (Mesolithic - 8000 BC to 4001 BC)
• FDV964 - LEAF ARROWHEAD (Neolithic - 4000 BC to 2201 BC)
• FDV965 - BARBED AND TANGED ARROWHEAD (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)
• FDV966 - FABRICATOR (Bronze Age - 2200 BC to 701 BC)

Associated Events

• EDV4241 - Appledore Fish Dock, Northam
• EDV4490 - RMB Chivenor Flood Defence Scheme Barnstaple, Devon: Archaeological Desk-based Assessment

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