Monument record TQ 55 NE 26 - Oldbury, numerous Palaeolithic material from slope below "Rockshelters", partly from excavations and partly surface-finds

Summary

A series of small caves and shallow rock shelters in an outcropping shelf of sandstone, just below the summit of Oldbury. Although excavations were carried out at Oldbury by Harrison in 1890, there remains some uncertainty surrounding the exact position of the excavation. In 1965 further excavations were carried out in the area TQ 5856 5653. As a result of these excavations it was concluded that the rock shelters on the east edge of Oldbury Hill were not likely to have been occupied by Pleistocene man. Their present form may be very different from their Pleistocene form, and unless all trace of occupation was removed by erosion before the commencement of sedimentation, no cultural debris of Pleistocene man was left near them. A highly characteristic series of stone tools was found in situ both by Harrison and the 1965 excavators. Extensive quarrying has altered the configuration of the spur, but it was once capped by hard rock which was weathered by frost shattering. The excavators suggest that a rock overhang existed at the end of the spur in Pleistocene times and that it afforded protection from the south-west and west and possibly the north as well. The site is a vantage point looking east towards the Medway valley. The lithic assemblage from Oldbury north is typical of the Mousterian of Acheulian tradition, and it is the richest Mousterian assemblage in Britain. In comparison to French sites it seems that occupation here was less concentrated, perhaps seasonal.

Location

Grid reference TQ 58550 56550 (point)
Map sheet TQ55NE
County KENT
District TONBRIDGE AND MALLING, KENT
Civil Parish IGHTHAM, TONBRIDGE AND MALLING, KENT

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Full Description

ROCK SHELTER - ONE OF SEVERAL. Personae: HARRISON,B. Types: CAVE (Photograph). SKE108.

ROCK SHELTER - ONE OF SEVERAL.PALAEOLITHIC IMPLEMENTS FOUND (TQ 5857 5654) BETWEEN 1890-99 Types: CA (Photograph). SKE107.

<1> OS 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

<2> Harrison of Ightham 1928 155 (E R Harrison) (OS Card Reference). SKE43706.

<3> VCH Kent 1 1908 313 (OS Card Reference). SKE50830.

<4> F1 ASP 05-AUG-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE41936.

<4> Field report for monument TQ 55 NE 26 - August, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE2769.

<5> The Reliquary and Illustrated Archaeologist 11 1905 27-28 photo (ed J Romilly Allen) (OS Card Reference). SKE50499.

<6> Arch J 126 1969 242 (E Warman) (OS Card Reference). SKE36551.

<7> Univ of London Inst of Archaeology Bulletin No 8 1969 (1970) 151-76 ilus (D Collins and A Collins) (OS Card Reference). SKE50697.

<8> Arch Cant 85 1970 211-212 (D Collins) (OS Card Reference). SKE35824.

<9> Arch Cant 45 1933 142-161 illus (E Harrison) (OS Card Reference). SKE35149.

<10> Brit Assoc Rep 1891 352 652 (OS Card Reference). SKE38335.

<10> ROCK SHELTER - ONE OF SEVERAL. Personae: HARRISON,B. Types: CAVE (Photograph). SKE108.

<10> ROCK SHELTER - ONE OF SEVERAL.PALAEOLITHIC IMPLEMENTS FOUND (TQ 5857 5654) BETWEEN 1890-99 Types: CA (Photograph). SKE107.

<11> PPS 34 1968 7 18 (D A Roe) (OS Card Reference). SKE48593.

<12> Arch J 38 1881 232-3 (F C J Spurrell) (OS Card Reference). SKE36623.

<13> English Heritage, 1992 Jun, Evaluation Excavation Report For Oldbury Camp, Kent (Unpublished document). SWX6800.

<14> Roe, D.A., 1968, Gazetteer of British Lower and Middle Palaeolithic Sites, p 170 (Monograph). SWX6570.

<15> Cook J, Jacobi RM, , 1998, Discoidal core technology in the Palaeolithic at Oldbury, Kent. (Article in serial). ske55074.

<16> Wessex Archaeology, 1993, The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project, Report No.2: The South West and South of the Thames [Vol. I - text], NWK6.94 (Monograph). SWX6569.

Sources/Archives (21)

  • --- Photograph: ROCK SHELTER - ONE OF SEVERAL.PALAEOLITHIC IMPLEMENTS FOUND (TQ 5857 5654) BETWEEN 1890-99 Types: CA. AA68/00304. Black and White. Negative.
  • --- Photograph: ROCK SHELTER - ONE OF SEVERAL. Personae: HARRISON,B. Types: CAVE. AA68/00305. Black and White. Negative.
  • <1> OS Card Reference: OS 6" 1961.
  • <2> OS Card Reference: Harrison of Ightham 1928 155 (E R Harrison).
  • <3> OS Card Reference: VCH Kent 1 1908 313.
  • <4> Bibliographic reference: Field report for monument TQ 55 NE 26 - August, 1964.
  • <4> OS Card Reference: F1 ASP 05-AUG-64.
  • <5> OS Card Reference: The Reliquary and Illustrated Archaeologist 11 1905 27-28 photo (ed J Romilly Allen).
  • <6> OS Card Reference: Arch J 126 1969 242 (E Warman).
  • <7> OS Card Reference: Univ of London Inst of Archaeology Bulletin No 8 1969 (1970) 151-76 ilus (D Collins and A Collins).
  • <8> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 85 1970 211-212 (D Collins).
  • <9> OS Card Reference: Arch Cant 45 1933 142-161 illus (E Harrison).
  • <10> Photograph: ROCK SHELTER - ONE OF SEVERAL.PALAEOLITHIC IMPLEMENTS FOUND (TQ 5857 5654) BETWEEN 1890-99 Types: CA. AA68/00304. Black and White. Negative.
  • <10> Photograph: ROCK SHELTER - ONE OF SEVERAL. Personae: HARRISON,B. Types: CAVE. AA68/00305. Black and White. Negative.
  • <10> OS Card Reference: Brit Assoc Rep 1891 352 652.
  • <11> OS Card Reference: PPS 34 1968 7 18 (D A Roe).
  • <12> OS Card Reference: Arch J 38 1881 232-3 (F C J Spurrell).
  • <13> Unpublished document: English Heritage. 1992 Jun. Evaluation Excavation Report For Oldbury Camp, Kent.
  • <14> Monograph: Roe, D.A.. 1968. Gazetteer of British Lower and Middle Palaeolithic Sites. 1-355. p 170.
  • <15> Article in serial: Cook J, Jacobi RM, . 1998. Discoidal core technology in the Palaeolithic at Oldbury, Kent. .
  • <16> Monograph: Wessex Archaeology. 1993. The Southern Rivers Palaeolithic Project, Report No.2: The South West and South of the Thames [Vol. I - text]. NWK6.94.

Finds (4)

Protected Status/Designation

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (3)

  • Intrusive Event: Evaluation at Oldbury Camp (Ref: 471 (project)) (EKE8171)
  • Intrusive Event: OLDBURY ROCK SHELTERS (Ref: EI 14731) (EKE3798)
  • Intrusive Event: OLDBURY ROCK SHELTERS (Ref: EI 14732) (EKE3799)

Related Thematic Articles (2)

Record last edited

Sep 14 2022 1:23PM