Record ID: LANCUM-DA60B2
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: POST MEDIEVAL
County: Lancashire
Workflow stage: Published
Roman to Modern cigar shaped whetstone. The finder's partner is a qualified geologist and says the sharpening stone is made from a "Fine to medium grained, quartz cemented sandstone, probably local millstone grit but its source location in the Bowland stratigraphic sequence is not known. The visible striations are not natural." Falttened areas or facets are typical of stones that have been well used. The tapered elongated cylindrical shape is typical of those used for sharpening scythes and sickles. Similar stones in modern materials are still in production (see attached image). Sickl…
Created on: Wednesday 7th April 2021
Last updated: Tuesday 16th November 2021
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'near Garstang', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: DYFED-E93AFC
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Pembrokeshire
Workflow stage: Published
Object is long and cylindrical in shape but with flattened sides. The object has a head, which appears to be rounded; it then tapers in slightly to a 'neck' and then expands out again. The object has 4 sides but one side has broken off. It has smooth sides, and appears worked. It is thought that this object is a whetstone. A string would have been tied around its neck in order to attach it to something else such as a belt. Similar records on the PAS database are YORYM-F17BB0, HAMP-E48B53 and SF-E9FB63. Its exact date is unknown but it is thought that it may be Medieval. The objec…
Created on: Friday 15th November 2019
Last updated: Wednesday 30th March 2022
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Lamphey', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: FASAM-F55282
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: ROMAN
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Published
An inscribed Roman stone stilus sharpener / whetstone. The stone is fine-grained green (slate?). The piece is 46.7mm long, 21.7mm wide and 8.2mm deep. There is a deep groove along the upper face where the stilus would be sharpened. The Latin inscription on the front face is: [M?]ΛNDΛCVS MATTΛVI which probably translates as 'Mandacus(?), son of Mattavus'. It is a possible Celtic / British name and patronym.
Created on: Thursday 13th October 2016
Last updated: Saturday 12th May 2018
Spatial data recorded.

Record ID: NLM-E1ED34
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Published
Stone hone. Grey fine-grained stone, possibly a greywacke, whetstone. Small personal or portable hone with an aperture of diameter 5.5mm, probably drilled from both sides, at one end. Both ends are rounded but the main part of the object has four sides which meet each other at crisp arises. Two opposed sides are dished by wear, while the others retain the curve of the original stone. The fashion for whetstones perforated for wear from a belt or girdle is a feature of the Later Saxon/Anglo-Scandinavian period. This object does not display the characteristics of the imported stones whic…
Created on: Friday 30th September 2016
Last updated: Friday 18th May 2018
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'near Caistor', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: PUBLIC-FA7EA7
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Published
A fragment of whetstone, probably early-medieval in date. The whetstone has been manufactured from fine-grained mica schist, most probably sourced in Scandinavia. Other whetstones made from this type of stone have been recorded in association with early-medieval finds. The whetstone is rectangular in plan and sub-square in section at one end and sub-triangular in section at the other end. The four longer faces are worn smooth but with some damage from farm machinery. The whetstone is broken at both ends with the squarer end broken across what may have been the drilled hole for the sus…
Created on: Monday 19th September 2016
Last updated: Tuesday 18th October 2016
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Skidbrooke', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: PUBLIC-BCB2DE
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Published
A fragment of whetstone, probably early-medieval in date. The whetstone has been manufactured from fine-grained mica schist, most probably sourced in Scandinavia. Other whetstones made from this type of stone have been recorded in association with early-medieval finds. The whetstone is sub-trapezoidal in plan and sub-square in section with the four longer faces being very smooth but with some damage from farm machinery. The whetstone is broken at both ends with the narrower end broken across what may have been the drilled hole for the suspension loop.
Created on: Sunday 4th September 2016
Last updated: Friday 9th September 2016
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Skidbrooke', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: PUBLIC-BB6724
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Published
A fragment of a large whetstone. The object is made from a very fine-grained, banded sandstone. It is sub-rectangular in both plan and section with one end rounded and smooth. The opposite end has been broken and the rest of the whetstone lost. All surfaces apart from the broken section are worn smooth.
Created on: Sunday 4th September 2016
Last updated: Friday 9th September 2016
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Skidbrooke', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: LIN-3D5C6E
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Published
A complete Early Medieval whetstone, dating to the period c. AD 410-1066. The whetstone is rectangular in cross section, and broadly rectangular in plan. It tapers to a rounded terminal at its apex, and a circular perforation measuring 5mm is present towards this end. This aperture contains a brown-red substance which possibly forms the remains of a means of attachment. The butt end has rounded corners and evidence of wear is present in the form of areas of abrasion which have a brown patination. This wear does not however seem consistant with its intended use. Further areas of damage…
Created on: Monday 11th January 2016
Last updated: Friday 18th May 2018
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'East Lindsey', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: NLM-4437B0
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: UNKNOWN
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Published
Sandstone whetstone fragment. Very slightly tapered cylindrical stone object, flat at its broader end and broken at the other. The sides are lightly dished and facetted by wear. The use of various stones for sharpening, either commercially imported or, more usually in this region, collected from local drift deposits, was especially characteristic of the Romano-British and Anglo-Saxon periods. Contact with Scandinavia introduced phyllite and schist hones which would dominate the market for hone stones until the later Middle Ages. Suggested date: Unknown, Roman to Early Medieval, 43-850…
Created on: Wednesday 19th August 2015
Last updated: Wednesday 23rd September 2015
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Swinhope', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: LIN-DAB33E
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Published
A possible Middle Saxon object whetstone. The object is smaller than most whetstones, perhaps indicating it was used for fine working of objects. It is rectangular in section with a facet on all corners. It is broken at the thicker end, but tapers to a point at the terminal. Fine diagonal grooves are visible along both of the side faces but not the upper and lower faces, nor the facets.
Created on: Thursday 21st May 2015
Last updated: Wednesday 23rd September 2015
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'East Lindsey', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: KENT-CCE2E7
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
County: Kent
Workflow stage: Published
An Early Medieval or Medieval Whetstone or hone. The stone is sub rectangular, narrowing slightly towards each end. One end is complete with rounded corners, the other ends in an old break. In section it has straight sides and slighty convex faces. It thickens slightly towards the complete end before thinning to a rounded edge. At the complete end there is a circular perforation for suspension. the hole is hour glass shaped having been drilled from both sides and is 4.1mm in diameter in the centre. The stone is fine grained, grey to slightly grey green in colour and appears to have fi…
Created on: Friday 8th May 2015
Last updated: Wednesday 23rd September 2015
No spatial data available.

Record ID: NLM-7BF3BA
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Published
Fine grained grey stone whetstone. A small bar-shaped hone with a drilled hole of diameter 4.2mm for suspension from a belt or girdle. Thinned by heavy wear, which has contributed a smoothly curved end; the object was probably discarded at the end of a long working life, having too little length left for whetting a blade. This material is sometimes described as purple phylite, though this description may embrace stones of various tints gathered from glacial drift as well as from geological sources in Scotland, Norway and elsewhere. 'Phylite' hones are prominent among whetstones of Ang…
Created on: Friday 10th April 2015
Last updated: Tuesday 28th April 2015
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Northorpe', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF-88BBE9
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: UNKNOWN
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
An incomplete and worn stone object, probably a whetstone or hone of uncertain date. It is formed from a very finely grained dark grey to black stone, and is square in section and rectangular in form. All surfaces show signs of extensive wear and corrosion, resulting in all corners being rounded and the surfaces slightly concave in places. Towards the old breaks there is what appears to be a single band or constriction running around the object. The entire object measures 31.54mm in length, 12.92mm in width, 11.30mm in thickness, and 9.18g in weight. This is probably a very worn st…
Created on: Thursday 5th March 2015
Last updated: Wednesday 23rd September 2015
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Barking', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: PUBLIC-C81404
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Published
A fragment of whetstone or hone, probably early-medieval to medieval in date. The whetstone has been manufactured from very fine-grained, blue-greymudstone, similar to the Jurassic rocks found on the coast of North Yorkshire. It is sub-triangular in plan and sub-oval in section. It is broken across its widest part and shows the very fine internal structure of the stone. The narrow end is complete apart from some minor post-depositional damage. The outer surfaces are very smooth and show some flat facets, probably as a result of the blade-sharpening process.
Created on: Tuesday 24th February 2015
Last updated: Tuesday 3rd March 2015
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Skidbrooke', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: PUBLIC-750598
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Published
A large fragment of whetstone, probably early-medieval in date. The whetstone has been manufactured from fine-grained mica schist, most probably sourced in Scandinavia. Other whetstones made from this type of stone have been recorded in association with early-medieval finds. The whetstone is sub-trapezoidal in plan and sub-square in section with the four longer faces being very smooth. The whetstone is broken at both ends. One face has two, straight, longitudinal gouges, probably as a result of the blade-sharpening process.
Created on: Friday 20th February 2015
Last updated: Tuesday 3rd March 2015
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Skidbrooke', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: LVPL-55FA3C
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: UNKNOWN
County: Nottinghamshire
Workflow stage: Published
An incomplete possible whetstone of uncertain date. The stone is lentoid in profile and circular in section constructed from fine grained sandstone with a high mica component. Each end of the object has broken away. A deep linear groove measuring 5.16mm in width runs transverse across the centre of one face, possibly caused by sharpening tools. This form of whetstone is fairly ubiquitous throughout history. It is difficult to say that this is definitely a whetstone as natural stones could be used for this purpose without much working to make them suitable. Whetstones are known to h…
Created on: Friday 26th September 2014
Last updated: Wednesday 1st October 2014
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Collingham', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: LVPL-E2F8BD
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: UNKNOWN
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Published
An incomplete stone object, probably a whetstone or hone, of uncertain date. The object is rectangular in plan and cross-section. It is formed of a fine grained dark grey stone, possibly slate. The base of one face of the object and almost all of the opposite face is damaged where some of the stone has split away from the main body of the object. Riveted to the top of the object is a rectangular strip of copper alloy forming an attachment loop. One end of the strip is cut in a diagonal while the opposite end is irregular. The strip measures c.10mm in width at each end and narrows t…
Created on: Tuesday 3rd June 2014
Last updated: Wednesday 4th June 2014
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Washingborough', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SF-23F8A3
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: UNKNOWN
County: Suffolk
Workflow stage: Published
An incomplete pendant whetstone of uncertain date. It is formed from a medium to dark grey fine grained and micaceous stone, perhaps a micaceous schist, and is square in section, rectangular in form, terminating in old breaks at one end. The surviving end is triangular in profile with a worn hourglass perforation, an attempted second circular perforation visible on one side of the complete end. The entire object measures 50.43mm in length, 10.98mm in width, 11.81mm in thickness and 13.24g in weight. This is an incomplete pendant whetstone of uncertain date, possibly dating to the Earl…
Created on: Monday 19th August 2013
Last updated: Thursday 6th February 2014
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Cavenham', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: FAKL-B10525
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: East Riding of Yorkshire
Workflow stage: Published
Whetstone made from a green schist, fine texture, schistosity well defined. Two faces worn through use giving a slightly curved shape. Sides irregular showing the schistose fracture. One end curved, other broken.
Created on: Tuesday 5th October 2010
Last updated: Tuesday 30th November 2010
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Near Driffield', grid reference and parish protected.

Record ID: SWYOR-095CA7
Object type: WHETSTONE
Broad period: EARLY MEDIEVAL
County: Lincolnshire
Workflow stage: Published
A rectangular length of lightweight, dark, fine-grained stone that has probably been used as a whetstone (hone or sharpening stone) as there are a number of shallow grooves on three of the surfaces. It is difficult to date with certainty but it probably dates from the Early-Medieval to Medieval periods. It is pierced at one end and a copper-alloy rivet remains in the piercing. At each end of the rivet is a small section of copper-alloy plate, probably forming a suspension mount, most of which has broken away in antiquity and is missing. The opposite end of the stone to the suspension …
Created on: Friday 15th January 2010
Last updated: Tuesday 4th September 2012
Spatial data recorded.