| Description | Gorple Lower Reservoir is site of important flint finds made by Mr.Brian Howcroft (Huddersfield and Dist. Arch.Soc). Mr.Howcroft has found this material during low water levels. Current SMR records indicates finding of five discreet sites, four on north side of reservoir, one on south side. The finds date to Mesolithic and Neolithic periods and presence of tools and waste material in considerable quantities suggest the presence of settlement sites on edge of former stream or small pool. Brief details of flints are as follows: Site 1 (SD 944 316) 22 tools including leaf arrowhead, barbed and tanged arrowhead, 15 side/ end scrapers, borer, knife; 5 cores, 128 pieces ofwaste, 18 pieces chert. Site 2 (SD 941 315) 4 end/round scrapers, 4 broad blade microliths, 2 cores, 48 waste pieces. Site 3 (SD 942 314) 32 tools including 15 round/end scrapers, discoidal knife, 2 broad blade microliths, 11 narrow blade microliths, 2 blades; 90 pieces waste, 20 pieces chert. Site 4 (SD 942 312 on S. side reservoir) 1 tranchet arrowhead, 1 blade, 1 broad blade microlith. Site 5 (SD 941 315) 65 tools including 16 round/end scrapers, 5 large scrapers, 16 graving tools, 23 worked blades, 5 microliths; 4 cores and 898 pieces of waste flint. There were also scattered flint finds between Sites 2 and 5. Gorple Upper Reservoir is also site of flint finds (see PRN 3869). Mr. Howcroft has promised to update this record as he is still collecting flint from the reservoirs (perc. comm. to JM, BY, 22/9/1991). These finds are of great significance; the quantities recovered and nature of the finds (e.g. abundance especially of scrapers) suggest the presence of settlements of Mesolithic and Neolithic periods rather than more transitory hunting sites typical of this Pennine region. The fact that both Mesolithic and Neolithic material occurs in close proximity and/or on same site, suggests that such locations may have been attractive for long periods of time. |