187
FLINT-IMPLEMENTS AT WALTON-ON-NAZE,
AND LEXDEN, ESSEX.
By HENRY LAVER, M.R.C.S., F.L.S., F.S.A. (Vice-President, Essex Field Club).
Stone Point, Walton-on-Naze, is that portion of Walton Hall Farm
lying nearest Harwich, but separated from that place and Dover-
court by the creek known as Hanford Water. By recent inroads
of the sea the banks protecting the marsh, together with a large
stretch of cultivated land, have been washed away during the last
few years, exposing some good sections of a large "Red-hill," or
"Salting Mound," as these mysterious collections of burnt earth are
termed by Mr. Stopes (see Essex Naturalist, vol. i. 96).
My sons, Edward and Philip, have lately been exploring this
locality, and have been successful in finding a considerable number
of flint "flakes," "knives," "scrapers," an arrow-head, and one very
fine polished flint celt.1 All these were found near to the partially
denuded "Red-hill," and had apparently been washed by the sea
out of the soil of the marshes, removed by the action of the
waves. It would appear from the number of specimens that the
flakes and implements were manufactured on the spot, evidently from
the water-worn flint pebbles so commonly found in the soil, not only
of this locality, but also in all parts of the county where the soil is at
all sandy.
Around the partially destroyed Red-hill are many fragments of
coarse hand-made pottery, similar to those found and described by
Mr. Stopes. All these fragments bear the impress of the fingers,
showing clearly in what way the clay was pressed into shape. The
locality is easily to be found by keeping to the path on the edge of
the cliff, until a shed is reached at the back of the sea-wall on the
low ground after passing over the hill. At low tide the red earth of
the "Red-hill" will be seen in some slightly raised portions of the
marsh remaining on the beach, and it is amongst the stones, bricks,
and other wreckage at this spot, that the flints and other objects are
to be found by close searching.
On August 8th, my son Edward picked up from the surface of
the soil at the back of Lexden Park a well-formed flint scraper. Mr.
Worthington Smith has kindly examined this implement, and pro-
nounced it to be Palaeolithic. It presents a very bleached appearance
1 These specimens have been seen by Mr. Worthington Smith, who confirms Dr. Layer's
opinion that they are all of the Neolithic type.—Ed.