Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 28 February 1959

Fossilised Tooth Find at Houghton Main

An official of the Houghton Main colliery showed us a large fossilised tooth which was found embedded in strata at the colliery recently. An archaeologist had suggested it was the tooth of a prehistoric animal.

As many young people in the Darfield district are now Interested In antiquarian research, a suggestion has been made that they should pool their discoveries and form a small museum housed, say in a show case in the Welfare Hall, or perhaps in the vestibule of the Church Hall.

In past years several valuable lots of ancient coins and being found in the Darfield Road widening scheme at Shroggs Head, and Quern Way.

In fact the name Quern was given to the road because of a quern being found there.

Thirty years ago this month workmen digging near Shrogg’s Head Green unearthed a very large; hone, probably a thigh bone. The bone was taken to the Surveyor’s office. It was at first thought to be a human bone, possibly a relic of the time when it was the custom for suicides to be buried at crossroads. However after further investigation it was thought to be a relic of a prehistoric animal.

In past years several valuable lots of ancient coins have been found on the Darfield Road widening schemes at Shrogg’ Head and Quern Way.

Darfield people think that when digging at Shrogg’s Head begins again on a proposed new housing scheme, many more interesting relics may be unearthed.