Wootton Quarr
Neolithic trackways off the beach at Wootton Quarr have been the subject of investigation by the Isle of Wight County Archaeological Unit with funding from English Heritage since the early 1990's.
In 1995 the three trackways running down the beach were surveyed. They were recorded to the low water mark but questions have remained as to their true extent beyond this point.
In April 1998 the Trust co-ordinated a project with a team of marine archaeological students from the University of Southampton to re-locate the trackways and record them underwater. The remains of the trackways were relocated, being exposed at the bottom of the beach in one distinctly stratified archaeological horizon. Moving up the beach, this horizon is eroded away but moving offshore into the sub-littoral zone, it becomes re-buried by a layer of fine blue silty clay. To detect the distance these stratigraphic layers travelled offshore, core samples were taken and a sample trench was excavated.
Neolithic trackways were recorded extending below the low water mark
The trench revealed a substrate of hard clay at a depth of 230 mm. Above this, 150 mm of firm organic material was evident with a further 80mm layer of soft grey clay sitting above that.
The Neolithic trackways were recorded in the grey clay. The core samples suggested that this sequence continues offshore for at least another 15m. Landward of the trench, the organic material was exposed and tree stumps and trunks could be seen.
From the work conducted, it is clear that the trackways continue below low water although more underwater work will be necessary to identify limits.