| Description | Widdop Reservoir, like Gorple Upper and Lower Reservoirs (PRNs 3869, 1970) to its south, has been prolific area of flint finds for a number of years. Mr. Brian Howcroft has retrieved flint of mainly Neolithic (but also some Mesolithic) date during low water levels, between October 1975 and November 1982. He has located three main sites as follows: Site 1 (SD 930 328) produced 34 tools including a reground (probably Langdale) axehead (PRN 2069), broken flint dagger, 2 barbed and tanged and 3 leaf arrowheads, 21 scrapers;also 87 pieces waste flint and 10 pieces chert. Site 2 (SD 929 328) finds included a spear point, a barbed and tanged arrowhead, 6 scrapers, 2 microliths; also 10 waste pices and 9 pieces chert. Site 3 (SD 928 329) finds comprised 2 discoidal scrapers, a knife and 8 waste pieces. A leaf shaped arrowhead was found on the north west shore of the reservoir at SD 927 332. Some of these finds have been drawn by Mr.Howcroft (see SMR file). A battered flint axe, possibly part of a tranchet axe, was found by Mr. Howcroft at SD 9315 3260. In addition to these flint finds, a series of linear soilmarks was noticed in the reservoir during a period of low water levels; these were planned by HDAS and one was also sectioned by them. It was found to contain mixed peat and soil and was c.24 cms deep (soil sample was taken). These soilmark ditches, varying in width between 10 and 20 cms, ran in short lengths and some conjoined to form small compartments or enclosures. Their date and purpose is unknown; it may be significant that one appeared to underlie a mound of burnt stones and that flints were found over the general area ofthe soilmarks. Mr. Howcroft has promised to update this record as he is still retrieving flint from Widdop (per. comm. to JM and BY, 22/9/1991). Flint recovery continues 1994. |