Which village is our oldest?

QUESTION What is the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in Britain?

THIS is generally thought to be Thatcham, in Berkshire, although it has stiff competition from Amesbury, in Wiltshire.

There’s evidence in Thatcham for palaeolithic Age habitation, which ended around 10,000 BC, which consists of two hand axes found in Lower Way gravel workings by R. Sheridan in 1962.

These people were nomadic, so this is not thought to be evidence of a permanent encampment.

There is more solid evidence for a Mesolithic period (10,000 BC to 4,000 BC) habitation from as early as 7,700 BC. A Mesolithic village, discovered near the sewage works in Lower Way Lane, is considered one of the finest such settlements in the country.

hearths and flint floors were uncovered, as well as flint and bone tools and the remains of numerous animals, including elk, beaver, wolf and pine marten. This is considered good evidence of a semi-permanent encampment.

Nationally important Bronze Age (2,500 BC to 750 BC) and Iron Age sites (750 BC to 43 AD), on the same land, demonstrating permanent habitation, have been uncovered at Dunston park and Cooper’s Farm.

From the second century AD, Thatcham was occupied by Romans. This settlement, on or near henwick Worth Field, is associated with the Ermin Way Roman road. Evidence includes coins, dishes, leather shoes, pottery and wells.

More recently, researchers from the University of Buckingham have argued that the parish of Amesbury, Wiltshire, which includes Stonehenge, is a better candidate. At a point called Blick Mead, around 12,000 pieces of worked flint and burnt flint have been unearthed as well as more than 500 pieces of bone.

Carbon dating of bones of aurochs — an extinct wild ox twice the size of today’s cattle — suggest habitation as early as 8,820 BC.

The Buckingham team described a rare ‘multi-phase’ site occupied over several millennia. D. B. Khan, Oxford.

QUESTION What is the largest prison in the world?

FURTHER to the earlier answer, another candidate is Turkey’s giant Silivri prison, near Istanbul.

It is certainly Europe’s largest prison — the prison campus stretches out over 100 acres and is home to 10,500 prisoners.

Unlike New Bilibid prison, in the philippines, there is a good staff to prisoner ratio. At any time, there might be 1,700 people on site, similar to that of Rikers Island.

A. K. Kaner, Luton, Beds.