Prehistoric Norfolk mine Grime’s Graves to open second pit to public
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Version 0 of 1. A challenging descent by ladder, winch and harness into a prehistoric underworld will open to the public for the first time this year, allowing exploration of shafts and galleries cut deep under Norfolk heathland more than 4,000 years ago. The extraordinary surface landscape of Grime’s Graves, pockmarked with hundreds of shallow depressions, puzzled people for many centuries until they were identified about 150 years ago as neolithic flint mines. The name Grime’s Graves has Anglo-Saxon origins, given long after the mines fell out of use as metal tools replaced flint, and some of the convenient hollows were used as burial grounds in the Iron Age. Under the Normans the site was used to keep rabbits for their meat and skins, as the poor sandy soil was ideal for the animals’ warrens. The area was only excavated and identified as a flint mine – yielding an almost indestructible jet-black flint – in 1870 by William Greenwell, an Anglican priest and archaeology enthusiast. Many ritual deposits were found in the shafts including an axe made of greenstone from Cornwall and human and animal bones. Much of Greenwell’s vast collection is now in the British Museum, and the shaft opening to visitors for the first time is named Greenwell’s Pit in his honour. Just 10 prehistoric flint mines have been identified in England and only Grime’s Graves is open to the public. Of hundreds of pits originally sunk up to 13 metres deep, dug with immense labour using antler picks, visitors to the site were only able to go into Pit 1. This year English Heritage will open a second, Greenwell’s Pit, giving a better impression of the original appearance of the shafts. Booking starts this week for visits by English Heritage members from April and for the general public from June. |