Little Lodge, Santon Downham

Name of Researcher Elizabeth Taylor

Date of Survey 4.10.14

Can you see any of the features listed below?

If so, please count or estimate the number of each feature and record approximate dimensions

Feature type

Present

Number

Maximum length

Maximum width

Maximum depth/height

Pits

√

13+

Impossible to measure: See Note

Depressions or hollows

√

2+ “trenches”

3+ big hollows

As above

Spoilbanks

√

Horseshoes

Round pits

Spoilheaps

Possible

Trackways

Worked flints

Ground surface inaccessible

Discarded flints

Ground surface inaccessible

Other features

(please provide details, if possible)

Mapping

Access

Were you able to access all obvious areas of flint mining?

If not, please mark on the map the areas you were not able to access.

No

Photography

Overall condition of the Site

(from A = excellent to F = poor)

Can’t assess at this time

Land use (as many as appropriate)

Forestry Plantation – Scrub

Any additional observations or comments

Have access to all the rest of Little Lodge and haven’t found anything relating to flint mining / working on the open land.

This site is a distinct ‘knoll’ standing above the open land. One of the sources suggests the copse earthworks are gravel quarries but most of the older sections of farm roadways &c are made of rounded river pebbles (Little Ouse is northern boundary of this area).

Note: This site is currently impossible to assess:-

Chest high bracken over about 30% of the site

Dense long, rough grass / sedge over rest.

Bramble ‘mats’ on top of grass over most of grassy area.

Very poor light levels (mature Scots Pine plantation).

Because of the vegetation, access is only possible along the few deer paths. However, there are a lot of earthworks over much of the copse. In one zone in particular these all look like classic flint pits.