Summary

Buried remains of an Early Mesolithic period site first identified by John Moore in 1947 and partially excavated by Sir Grahame Clark in 1949-51. Further archaeological investigations in the 1980s and in recent years have demonstrated in situ evidence of built structures.

Source: Historic England

Details

The monument includes the buried remains of an Early Mesolithic period settlement site on the edge of the former Lake Flixton which, in the Mesolithic period, was nearly 5km by 2km, mainly extending to the east of Star Carr. The extent of the monument has been defined by field walking and test excavation; it lies on the south side of the Hertford River, but does not extend to include further Mesolithic sites that have been identified elsewhere along the former lake edge. The monument includes an area which, in the Mesolithic period, was a peninsula of dry land that extended southwards into Lake Flixton and can now be seen as a rise in the ground surface. The structure uncovered in 2008 (see History) lies on the western side of this peninsular with field walking and test pitting indicating the in situ survival of further features across the rest of the former peninsular. The scheduling also includes a strip of the Mesolithic lake edge, including the areas previously excavated and shown to retain both organic and inorganic archaeological material, including structural remains.

Extent of Scheduling:
The scheduling is designed to include all of the known Mesolithic period remains within the field containing Clark's excavation at Star Carr, together with an additional margin of a minimum of 5m considered essential for the support and protection of the monument. This margin is also designed to take into account possible inaccuracies in the location of find spots and previous excavation trenches. The monument covers a triangular area forming the north eastern corner of the field. This area is defined by using data collated by Dr Nicky Milner, Dr Chantal Conneller and Barry Taylor plotting the Mesolithic land surface, and is designed to include everything within 30m (on the southern side) of the 23.75m Mesolithic surface contour that lies south of the cut for the Hertford River and west of the drainage ditch which marks the eastern boundary of the field. The area includes the easement on the south side of the Hertford and thus the modern fence line, which marks the property boundary between the Drainage Board's easement and the field. The fence is excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath it is included.

The canalised Hertford River has truncated the monument to the north. It is possible that further in situ Mesolithic remains survive immediately to the north, obscured by upcast from dredging operations; however, there is currently insufficient evidence of surviving Mesolithic deposits to justify including any area to the north of the Hertford within the scheduling.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

The Early Mesolithic period settlement site at Star Carr is of national importance and is scheduled for the following principal reasons:

* Period and rarity: Star Carr is an exceptionally rare site because it has been positively dated to the Early Mesolithic and has also been shown to retain evidence of built structures.

* Diversity: Star Carr is exceptional for its great diversity of finds, archaeological features and evidence such as that demonstrating the use of stone tools for carpentry. This remains unequalled in British archaeology. The site was also clearly reoccupied a number of times, a form of diversity that is not often identified with Mesolithic period sites which are more typically the product of a single episode of occupation or activity.

* Documentation: The subject of a very large body of academic research papers and publications over the decades since first published by Clark and also very widely referenced in British and international archaeological textbooks. The good quality records and finds from previous investigations have allowed, and continue to allow, extensive reanalysis of Star Carr.

* Survival and Potential: Archaeological investigation has demonstrated that the monument retains a rich assemblage of inorganic material which is not threatened by changes in soil chemistry, also that there is a good potential for further evidence of built structures, especially across the largely unexcavated eastern part of the monument.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Clark, J G D, Excavations at Star Carr, (1954)
Mellars, P, Dark, P, Star Carr in Context, (1998)
Conneller, C, Milner, N, Taylor, B, 'British Archaeology' in Little House By The Shore, , Vol. 115, (2010)
Conneller, C, Milner, N, Schadla-Hall, T, Taylor, B, 'From Bann Flakes to Bushmills: Prehistoric Society research paper, no.1' in Star Carr In The New Millennium, (2009), 78-88
Mellars, P, 'Antiquity' in Moonshine Over Star Carr: Post-Processualism, Mesolithic Myths And Archaeological Realities, , Vol. 83, (2009), 502-517
Other
Schadla-Hall, T & Lane, P (eds), The Early Mesolithic in the Vale of Pickering, Forthcoming,

Source: Historic England