Record Details

Summary

A Mesolithic camp including a chipping floor and evidence of a number of periods of human activity. The site lies near Stocksbridge, Sheffield.

Monument Type(s):

• LITHIC WORKING SITE (Mesolithic - 10000 BC to 4001 BC)

Associated Finds:

Full Description

<1> Excavated by J Radley in 1962, consists of a roughly oval ring of boulders. Contained within it was considerable evidence of flint knapping, with several thousand items being recovered and there are also charcoal-strewn areas, thought to be hearths (Radley 1970). The small flint artefacts, known as microliths, included scrapers for food preparation, burins and arrowheads and flint waste. (Whittaker, 1974, Butterworth and Lewis 1978). Similar finds elsewhere in the area include artefacts from Hall Wood and Greno Wood, to the east of Wharncliffe and also from upon the Chase (Hunter Archaeological Society, correspon., 1979). The artefacts date to about 7,500 BC [Further description]

References cited: Radley, J in Butterworth, A.(ed), 1970 “Deepcar” Prehistoric Society Archaeological Field Guide, Sheffield City Museums; Whitaker, P. D. 1974 Early Settlement in Derbyshire. Dalesman; Butterworth, A and Lewis, G. D. 1978 Prehistoric and Roman Times in the Sheffield Area, Sheffield City Museums.

<2> The site remains one of the most important early prehistoric archaeological sites in England. During the mid 1960s, excavations resulted in the retrieval of flint artefacts of Mesolithic (c. 7000BC to c. 4500BC) date. Evidence of any type of habitation during this period is relatively rare. However, at Deepcarr two concentric rings of stones, possibly representing the remains of an ephemeral dwelling or shelter, were identified.

<3> The excavation of a large flint site at Deepcar, near Sheffield, has emphasised the fact that Maglemosian sites are not confined to the lowland areas bordering the North Sea. The excavation produced convincing evidence of an oval structure within which 23,000 artefacts were recovered. These included 68 microliths, 102 microburins, 37 scrapers, 8 burins, and awls. The tools are comparable to lowland assemblages, which also yield bonework and flint axes.

<4> A Mesolithic structure represented by a circle of river-worn gritstone blocks and flanked by an outer arc of river-worn quartzite blocks. The site lies between a quarry edge and an electricity sub station, and occupies 84 square yards.

Excavated by J Radley in 1962. About 25,000 flints of Maglemosian type were found, now in Sheffield Museum.

References: PPS 1964 p.1-24 (J Radley), YAJ 41 (1963) p.81-97

<5> The Deepcar site is located at c. 500 feet O. D. on the end of a small spur, terminating in a 40-foot cliff, which overlooks the confluence of the rivers Porter and Don. Swamp and thick undergrowth once covered the flat area around the confluence of the rivers, giving rise to the Saxon 'carr' name taken by the nearby village. Perhaps the site once overlooked a shallow lake. In about 1875 the Stocksbridge Independent Railway Company quarried and removed about 20 yards from the end of the spur. It was on the bare ground at the quarry edge that the initial discoveried were made. Flint artifacts have been found on the surface of the site since 1948 and considerable collections were made by L. H. Butcher and F. Hepworth. The excavations of the latter attracted the attention of Mr. G. Lewis, deputy director of the Weston Park Museum, Sheffield, who subsequently asked the writer to conduct a formal excavation of the rest of the site. This was undertaken during April and May 1962. A roughly semi-circular arrangement of stones composed of quartzite and rough flaggy sandstone was identified surrounding a hollow, measuring 11 feet by 7 feet at its widest point (3.4m by 2.1m) and a maximum depth of 18 inches (45.7 cm). Inside was a second, more complete circle composed of gritstone. Within the inner circle of stones, three relatively hard areas were noted, and while no charcoal could be isolated, it appears that these are the remains of hearths. Two of the heaths were bounded by gritstone. Approximately 25,000 pieces of worked flint was recovered from the site; the greatest concentration of artefacts was recoverd from a grey, sandy leached horizon found above a compact clay layer and below the dark sandy humus (soil) that covers this area. The flint assemblage was concentrated within a limited and well defined area and shows every sign of homogeneity. The assemblage includes cores (17), core trimmings (111), microburins and related forms (102), microliths (68), scrapers (37), burins (8), truncated blades (5), saw and dentated flakes (2), awls (2), notched flakes (21) and a possible axe. Most of the remaining assemblage comprises flakes and spalls. All are dated to the Mesolithic period and no clearly Neolithic or later artifacts were identified.

[The flint assemblage was previously record[ed separately under PIN 548.]

<1> Percy, C., 1996, The History of Wharncliffe Chase and Heath: A Preliminary Assessment, p (Unpublished document). SSY121.

<2> South Yorkshire Archaeology Service, 1997, Brief for Archaeological Watching Brief, pp3. (Unpublished document). SSY291.

<3> Yorkshire Archaeological Society, 1963-6, Yorkshire Archaeological Journal Volume 41, pp81-97 & 394-402 (Serial). SSY78.

<4> South Yorkshire Archaeology Service, c1974-c2003, SMR Card (Unpublished document). SSY213.

<5> J. Radley and P. Mellars, 1964, A Mesolithic Structure at Deepcar, Yorkshire, England, and the Affinities of its associated Flint Industries (Article in serial). SSY2554.

<6> J.J. Wymer & C.J. Bonsall (Eds.), 1977, Gazetteer of mesolithic sites in England and Wales, with a Gazetteer of upper palaeolithic sites in England and Wales, P. 404 (Bibliographic reference). SSY967.

<7> Wessex Archaeology, 2012, The Colonisation of Britain by Modern Humans Project (aka PaMeLA), 13,760 or MO2423 (Digital archive). SSY2556.

<8> National Monuments Record, National Monuments Record Online Database, 312597 or SK 29 NE 15 (Web Resource). SSY1877.

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