Possible Neolithic flint mines, but probably modern chalk pits, at Grimsditch Wood, Saffron Walden (EHER 4786)

Alleged Neolithic flint working site and flint mines - the features are probably chalk pits.

Many worked flints found. <1> In the fields west and south of Grimsditch Wood are several pits, possibly flint mines, and many worked flints have been picked up near them. <2> This does not place the site at the NGR given in the EHER for worked flints for TL50-035. In an unpublished paper a Mr Maynard said there were a series of old hollows on the north west slopes which "can be nothing else but old chalk and flint mines" of uncertain period. The soil around them was full of worked flint flakes, some with the older white patination, and large flints with ancient patinated chippings on their surfaces. "They cluster thickly around one of the pits." The whole evidence suggested a group of flint mines of the Cissbury type. When visited by the OS the site was under crop but a few worked flints, flakes and cores. <2> <3> 1986. Field survey. See <4>. Site Assessment: This site appears to be at TL54-049, to the west of TL54-050, and nothing to do with TL54-035. NRHE data transfer: A Neolithic site lies on the fields on the slope between Grimsditch Wood and the road to Little Walden, 11/4 miles north north east of Saffron Walden church (TL 544407) (longitude 0 15'4"E, latitude 52 2'31"N). Finds consists of flakes, cores, scrapers, hammer stones, etc. On the slope west of the wood are three basin-shaped hollows of which Guy Maynard (in an unpublished paper) states that: the series of irregular hollows are old chalk or flint pits of uncertain date, with the soil around these pits containing worked flint flakes and large worked flints clustered thickly round one of the pits, which strongly suggests from the whole evidence a group of Cissbury type flint mines. <3> April 1950. Field survey. This site when visited was under crop but a few worked flakes and cores were found. Three hollows are sited "a" at TL 5450 4078, "b" at TL 5438 4067 and "c" at TL 5438 4061. <5> The site was visited in January 1996 as part of the RCHME project to record industry and enclosure in the Neolithic. The hollows and depressions in the area seem most likely to represent recent chalk pits. The earlier suggestion that they may represent flint mines was based on the quantity of worked flints recovered from the general area of the hollows. The relationship between them is probably entirely coincidental. There is no evidence of flint mining debris. Much of the local flint is gravel or solifluction material. For further details see the archive report. <6>