England's Historic Seascapes: Withernsea to Skegness
Museum of London Archaeology, 2010. https://doi.org/10.5284/1000104. How to cite using this DOI
Data copyright © Historic England unless otherwise stated
This work is licensed under the ADS Terms of Use and Access.
Primary contact
David
Bowsher
Director of Research
Museum of London Archaeology
Mortimer Wheeler House
46 Eagle Wharf Road
London
N1 7ED
UK
Tel: 020 7410 2285
Resource identifiers
- ADS Collection: 935
- ALSF Project Number: 4730
- DOI:https://doi.org/10.5284/1000104
- How to cite using this DOI
Burnham Flats Character Area
Present Day Form
The Burnham Flats offshore character area is situated in the south-west part of the study area opposite the north Norfolk coast. The area is part of a larger sea bed area that extends into 'The Wash' region. The geology of the area comprises chalk bedrock overlain by glacial till (clay, sand and gravel debris deposited from ice sheets) known as the Boulders Bank formation. The water depth across the area varies between 6 m and 13 m and the maximum tidal range is 6 m. The seabed of the area consists of a shallow sloping thin bed of sand, gravel and shells.
Sea Use: Present
The character area contains various navigation hazards and is also an important fisheries area. It is a spawning ground for sole and is also and sole and plaice nursery. The southern tip of a licensed aggregate dredging area also extends into the character area. The area is not intensively fished but is locally important, particularly for smaller vessels.
Sea Use: Past
The Burnham Flats Character area has been shaped by thousands of years of dynamic sea level changes and erosion and deposition. The relatively shallow nature of the sea bed means that the area was dry land almost certainly in the Upper Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and probably in the Neolithic periods.
Marine traffic would have crossed this area on a regular basis from the Roman period onwards but especially in the medieval period when Wainfleet St Mary was a busy port. Its access to the sea gradually silted up and Wainfleet Haven was established nearer the coast to carry on the maritime trade.
Continued silting and dune formation resulted in the last commercial vessels using the port in the 1920's.
Fishing activity would have been carried out in the area from the medieval period onwards (see above).
Archaeological Potential
The Burnham Flats character area has potential for the presence of drowned land surfaces resulting from the fact that sea level has fluctuated between -120 metres and +10 metres over the past 500,000 years. From the period 500,000 BP to 22,000 BP (before present), human population levels were low, and little more than stray finds may be expected, although these may still be of considerable archaeological importance.
From 22,000 BP to 2100 BP parts of the North Sea were dry land and human population levels were higher. The areas position adjacent to the Ouse/Nene palaeochannel makes it a prime habitation site. Consequently, there is some potential for surviving evidence of human activity within the area. Over the last 6000 years (if not more), humans have used sea faring vessels and so wrecks and related material may lie on the sea floor or be buried beneath the sea floor.
Character Perceptions
The area is perceived as an inshore fishing ground and navigation area.
References
Lynn offshore Wind Farm Non -Technical summary (http://www.amec.com)
Brenchley P J, Rawson P F, 2006 The Geology of England and Wales 2nd edition
