UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE
Archaeology of Porton Down
Talk by Dr David Ride
on 30th January 2007
David first told us about the Neolithic flint mines that abound in 2 areas. Generally they are bell shaped in section and so wider at the bottom as Iron Age men went sideways to find flints. Knapping was done on site. Martin Clump has a set of 330 mines. They are the earliest in the UK and are about 6 to
8 feet deep. |
| From the Bronze Age a cemetery has been discovered covered in flint bits. Many urns and beads found within the tombs. 2 pit cremations have also been found by chance. 1740 BC |
| During the Iron Age banks and ditches were made but it is not clear if they were because of war like or peaceful tendencies. |
| He also told us that Porton Down is Upper
Chalk and that there are 11 divisions of this chalk!
For instance Seaford is the lowest layer and is hard with flints. Newhaven chalk is too soft for mines But Tarrant chalk the top layer is just right for mining with deer shoulder blades and has good quality flints too. How fortunate. |
When sheep no longer grazed rabbits took over the task. So we now have 40 different plant species per square meter. Plants such as the Lady Orchid and Meadow Clary grow here and few other places in the UK. Juniper is common here but not elsewhere in the UK. The best badger site in the UK is located here. 16 to 22 Stone Curlew pairs nest here. One of the most remarkable creatures is the Yellow Meadow Ant. They are found in the billions as are their mounds.
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| Finally William Benson constructed a folly on Tower Hill of which little is left. The stones were plundered and can now be found in Newton Toney Church. |
| Report by Peter Read |
In the Middle Ages sheep were put on the downs and the specific breed were always constipated
and consequently they denatured the soil. This fortuitously kept the grass short and allowed
a wide range of flora to flourish.
