Palaeolithic axe, north of Quendon (EHER 357)

A superbly made pointed hand-axe with curved sides, found in the 19th century. Summary from record 394: Palaeolithic implements from Quendon.

Monument description derived from merging EHER 357 and 394. Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: One hand-axe. <1> <2> Superbly made pointed hand-axe with curved sides, found in the 19th century. According to its label it was found in sand, 13ft down, beneath a top layer of boulder clay. The hand-axe is in sharp condition with faint staining on one face. The sand is probably a terrace deposit of the Cam, which runs some 30m below, to the east. The top layer of 'boulder clay' is more likely one of the till-like deposits of late Devensian age identified in the district. <3> <4> Site Assessment = Quendon is one of three sites in East Anglia which have produced individual examples of a very distinctive form of hand-axe, as typified by those from Wolvercote, Oxfordshire. As they do not occur in other industries, it seems reasonable to regard them as a particular type, possibly with a limited time range. Dating is uncertain, the axes may be Ipswichian or early Devensian. <3> Palaeolithic implements from Quendon (name TL 5130) are in the Saffron Walden Museum. <5> A palaeolithic "sharp - pointed implement" 8 inches long, was obtained by C.K. Probert (of Newport, Bishop's Stortford), from Quendon, "in sandy drift in a pit about 12 ft deep", east of the church. <6> See: <7> <8>