Find Spot record 202/1 - Bridgemere Hoard Site

<1> County Historic Environment Record, 1973-1985, Cheshire Archaeological Bulletin, No.10 p.7-11, Turner RC 1985 (Journal/Periodical). SCH565.

A hoard of three bronze flanged axes and a bronze dagger were found whilst prospecting with a metal detector in a ploughed field at Bridgemere. The find spot is just at the north side of the highest point in the immediate area. At the point where the find was made the plough catches the subsoil and the ghost of what may be a ploughed out mound may be seen. The finder described finding the objects at a depth of about 50cm below the soil surface and in undisturbed subsoil. They were all together and stacked except for pieces of the dagger which had become dispersed over about a 1 metre radius. The axes and dagger were sampled by The British Museum, for metallurgical analysis, but the results were not available at the time of publication. The hoard dates from the end of the Early Bronze Age, c.1700-1450 BC.

Cast flange axes are widespread Throughout Britain, but an exact parallel for the long has not yet been found. However, its association with datable axes in this hoard is of the greatest importance. Hoards of this date are rare and the number of objects they contain are few. The nearest contemporary and typologically similar hoard is from Ebnal, Shropshire. This has similar axes but contains two riveted daggers of a more typical type.

<2> County Historic Environment Record, 1973-1985, Cheshire Archaeological Bulletin, No.11 (draft?) Turner R C 1987 (Journal/Periodical). SCH565.

Find spot was investigated by excavation 1986. Circa 60m2 was opened revealing a complex of four main features. A linear clay filled feature (wall or fence) crossed the site. To the east, in a line, was an oval hearth or collapsed furnace filled with charcoal and fire-cracked igneous rock. Alongside was a bowl-shaped pit with a flue from which the hoard must have been taken and at some distance a small pit containing fired clay. Finds consisted of a scatter of flints and stone implements in granite; one perhaps a mould. The site suggests smithing and is the only known example of its date in Britain.

<3> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Turner RC, 1988 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

Second season of excavation in 1987 showed that the three main features existed in isolation. An area of 300m2 cleared. Few additional flints. Bronze smithy discounted. Hoard is probably votive.