THIS IS FINDON — www.findonvillage.com  created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

THE GREAT HEARTH OF CHURCH HILL

Copyright Valerie Martin 2003

The Neolithic miners of the Findon hillsides were not unmitigated savages as we might once have thought.

Scattered among the flint mine shafts on Church Hill are many grassy covered spoil dumps from the days of these ancient workers.  The dumps are composed of discarded mining debris.   The miners appeared to have been safety conscious even in those days, as the dumps had not been allowed to rise to a height to endanger the lives of workers in the surrounding shafts. The largest dump was 77ft. by 25 ft. and was excavated by John Pull and his helpers during the winter weather of 1949.  They concluded that its contents came from shafts which were being worked about the same era — which confirmed that some groups of mines were occupied in conjunction — rather than completely abandoning one before going on to the next.

Perhaps you are wondering what the ancient miners did with their manufactured flints?   It is thought the tools were bartered all over the country which indicates an organised state of the then Findon society.   Rather interesting, it appears that the recipient of each axe head was expected to grind and polish it for his own use.

John Pull and his band of workers discovered an area of burnt flints (reduced almost to powder).  This was some 10 ft. across and revealed the remains of what appeared to be a large hearth.    It can only be guessed that it could conceivably have been a communal fire for the flint miners.   On the other hand, it just might have been a sacred fire connected with some rite.   Or it could have been the cremation place of the chieftain whose ashes were discovered in 1933.

Continue if you would like to read about John Pull's discovery discovery on Church Hill and the possibility of a prehistoric Black Market.

THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.