The islands of hard geology on the floodplain have been a focus for human activity over the last 10,000 years. We have been investigating the earliest history of some of the islands in the Brue valley as part of a joint project with Reading University, Southampton University and Somerset County Council, funded by English Heritage.
Lots of small holes, lots of hot digging, lots of mole and root disturbance, not much that looked like sand but…
yes! – worked flint from several test pits
Huzzah! – post and stake holes from Brickyard Farm dated to the early Neolithic -the same time as the Sweet Track
Oooh!- lots of beaver chewed wood at the edge of Shapwick Burtle
A 3D recreation of the Mesolithic landscape has been created in partnership with Archeritage and can be sen here
Well I never!- a bronze age stake from peat near Canada Farm. Could it be another trackway?
'Hands on Heritage' in the Avalon Marshes 