The Hampshire and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology

• Bouldnor Cliff
• Investigations in 2000
• Investigations in 2003
• Investigations in 2004
• Investigations in 2007

• Assessment & Analysis
• New Discoveries

Bouldnor Cliff

Work on this fascinating prehistoric site began back in the 1980's when it was identified as a preserved prehistoric forest with associated peat deposits.

The eroding coastline of Bouldnor Cliff

However, it wasn't until 1998 when the HWTMA began investigating the site as part of the European 'LIFE' Project that research began again.

It was on a routine survey dive as part of SolMAP 98 that project volunteers first spotted interesting worked flints in a lobster burrow, needless to say excitement grew and more worked flints were found over the rest of the season and in 1999.

Divers search for Mesolithic flints

One of the main objectives for the 1999 season was to produce a cross section of cliff deposits, this was not as straight forward as it sounds and various coring methods were employed. Ultimately the task was completed and a full profile showing a multi-layered sandwich of peat and alluvial silts was compiled.