Prehistoric Finds in Wigan

At the AGM in February Yvonne Web presented the collection of prehistoric items stored at the History Shop.  These objects are currently not on display, as there are some problems with identification.  A few weeks ago she arranged for me to have them photographed for the sake of our records

In Newsletter No.2 I gave a detailed explanation of the problems of identification.  From a dating point of view, there is always uncertainty with items like these, however from the style they are most likely to be Neolithic or early Bronze Age i.e. around 5000 years old.  These photographs are reproduced here with the kind permission the Wigan Heritage Services and, as such are subject to their copyright.

This first item is referred to as a Shaft-hole Adze (B75.017) and was found near New Spring’s school by a schoolboy in 1974.  It is made from sandstone/quartzite and was probably used for cutting wooden beams.  Initially it was on loan but was eventually purchased in 1975.  The identity of this item is fairly certain, however in the records, the school is referred to as being in Lower Ince(?).

This next item, a Flint Scraper (B73.027), has also a positive identification and was found by the donor in his garden in Winstanley.  As you can see from the scale along side, it is quite small, but has been carefully worked to produce a well-formed cutting edge.

The next item’s provenance is a bit shaky but is thought to be the Stone Axe-head (B22.OO1) found in Bottling Wood in 1911 by Mr Cardwell. It was apparently presented to the council in 1922 by Miss Margaret Thomson, and is the largest object in the collection.  It is made from impure sandstone and is of the Langdale series.  

This Item (TN.0005) is referred to as a ‘Polished’ Stone Axe  found at Leigh cricket ground in 1912 by Mr I H Mayall.  It was located in gravel at a depth of 2 foot 6 inches.

(B35.007) Another tricky identification but this Bronze Age Battle Axe is thought likely to be the one found in Walken Avenue by R Orrell, a builder, in 1933 between where Buckley House used to be and Queensway.  It was found at a depth of 18 inches.  

This last item(B30.004), another ‘Polished’ Stone Axe-head is thought to be the one found Boar’s Head Railway Station in 1928 and made of altered volcanic rock.

Next Meeting

(Wednesday 7th April at the history shop 7.30 pm as usual.)  This month’s speaker Ian Winstanley, whose talk is entitled ‘The Woodpit Explosion at Haydock 7th June 1878’.

Hope to see you at the meeting – B.A.