Highlands Farm Pit is one of a number of Palaeolithic sites along the route of the Ancient Channel of the Thames between Caversham and Henley (Wymer 1968), an extinct course that lies at ~76m above Ordnance Datum (aOD) and runs nearly level in a north-easterly direction until it is truncated by the modern valley. It was first opened in 1895 (as Helen’s Pit), when it attracted the attentions of Treacher and White, and re-opened between 1954 and 1960, during which time John Wymer conducted investigations at the site.

The Chalk floor of the ancient channel is pitted with solution hollows and faults, greatly disturbing the fluvial deposits above it. Wymer (1961) described a section 4m deep, consisting of 2m of loose sandy/shingly gravel overlain by 1m of coarse, poorly-bedded clayey gravel, capped by a contorted unsorted gravel trail. Artefacts in a range of conditions were found throughout the sequence, but the lowest 1.2m of sandy gravel were the most prolific, sometimes producing hundreds of artefacts per cubic meter. Wymer had hoped to find a stratigraphical division between the rolled Clactonian artefacts and the handaxes, and between the pointed and ovate handaxes, but all types were found at all depths. It was equally clear, however, that a higher proportion of ovate handaxes were generally in fresher condition than the pointed ones, suggesting different burial histories.

The gravels of the Ancient Channel are now correlated with the Black Park Gravel, the last deposits of the Thames before it abandoned the Ancient Channel for its modern route through Reading during the late Anglian (MIS 12) glaciation. The artefacts it contains are thus likely to derive from MIS 13 or older occupation debris, although some of the fresh material may belong to an early or inter-Anglian occupation. The present sample is made up of 34 handaxes in fresh condition recovered by John Wymer.

Wymer, J. 1961. The Lower Palaeolithic succession in the Thames Valley and the date of the ancient channel between Caversham and Henley. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 27: 1–27.

Wymer, J. 1968. Lower Palaeolithic Archaeology in Britain as represented by the Thames Valley. London: John Baker.