Summary
Mesolithic pit-dwelling, 230m south-west of Abinger Manor.
Reasons for Designation
The Mesolithic pit-dwelling, 230m south-west of Abinger Manor is a rare and highly significant site of Mesolithic occupation that has been shown by excavation to contain a considerable microlithic assemblage. The pit-dwelling survives well and represents one of the oldest known and preserved man-made dwellings in Britain. Similar pit-dwellings have been found in Surrey at Farnham and in East Sussex at Selmeston. They are thought to represent sites of semi-permanent occupation, perhaps as winter accommodation, where huts were erected over shallow pits. The area in the vicinity of the Abinger site has a high degree of potential for further archaeological investigation. On the basis of what is known about Mesolithic pit-dwellings it is possible that other pits will survive nearby. The microlithic assemblage found on the site is more primitive and possibly ancestral to those of the Horsham Culture (c7000-6000 BC) found elsewhere in Surrey. As such it represents an important evolution in the development of the Prehistoric flint industry and adds additional importance and significance to the site.
History
See Details.
Details
This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 11 December 2014. The record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
SU 169
Legacy System:
RSM - OCN
Sources
Books and journals Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
