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Summary

An assemblage of Mesolithic flint and sandstone implements and waste material was found on the northern side of Elmscott Gutter in the early 1950s.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS22SW/8
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS22SW5

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ARTEFACT SCATTER (Mesolithic - 8000 BC (Between) to 4001 BC (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV7474.

Osa=ss22sw5.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV7475.

Jacobi, r. M. /pdas/37(1979)figs.17,19/early flandrian hunters in the south west.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV7476.

Wymer, j. J. /gazetteer of mesolithic sites (cba res rep 20)/(1977)58.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV7477.

Mus=north devon athenaeum, barnstaple.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV7478.

Rankine, w. F. /res. Paper surrey arch soc/4(1956)1-63/the mesolithic of southern england.

Fox, A., 1953, 20th Report on the Archaeology and Early History of Devon, 168 (Article in Serial). SDV223412.

Northern side of Elmscott Gutter, Mansley Cliffs. The gutter is a shallow drainage line, emptying into the Atlantic at a height of some 122m. The sides are in varying stages of erosion. In 1951 a number of flints were observed in the exposed face. Further visits and one short trench dug 381mm deep in 1953 produced an assemblage of Mesolithic implements and waste material. This comprised 5 sandstone implements identified as flat smooth rubbers and "limpet scoops", 932 waste flakes, 42 cores and core scrapers, 3 core trimmings, 17 microburins, 16 microliths, intermediates and other blades with secondary flaking. The raw material is beach pebble flint. The cores are typical conical single platform cores, some of which are bi-polar. All microburins have a notch on the left when held with the break uppermost. Eight are bulbar detachments, 9 are flake tips. Four of the microliths are worked on bulbar flakes. The microliths are geometric with 4 scalene triangles and sub triangles and 3 crescentic. Non-geometric include 2 obliquely blunted points, 3 battered backs, 1 fragmented, 1 hollow based point and 1 tip microburin prepared as a microlith.

Gardner, K. S., 1957, A Mesolithic Survey of North Devon, 167-173, Figs 2-3 (Article in Serial). SDV7582.

A number of Mesolithic flints and sandstone implements were found in Elmscott Gutter in the early 1950s. The sandstone implements include smooth rubbers and pointed 'limpet scoops'.
The flints included microburins, microliths, cores and core scrapers as well as waste flakes and trimmings were identified as being made from locally available pebbles.
Elmscott is considered typical of the sites included in the survey.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 243 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

Large assemblage of Mesolithic implements and waste flakes recovered from exposed face of Elmscott Gutter drainage ditch and small trench excavated nearby.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV7799 - TOOL (Mesolithic - 8000 BC to 4001 BC)

Associated Events: none recorded

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