Severn Estuary Partnership - Working in partnership for the future of the Severn Estuary

Footprints in the Sand

These remarkable footprints are believed to be from a Mesolithic human child walking across a valley once situated where the estuary is today. This moment in time, captured 8,000 years ago and preserved in the silt and mud, represents a glimpse into the fascinating heritage of man and the estuary, and how they have shaped each other’s destinies.

Estuary timeline – also click on the links below to find out more about what was happening on the estuary at this time:

Mesolithic	5,000 BC	Hunter-gatherers roam the estuary Goldcliff footprints laid down
Neolithic	4,000 BC	Small scale farming Wooden trackways in Somerset built "God Dolly" made
Bronze Age	1,000 BC	Larger settlements Landing stage at Caldicot
Iron Age	400 BC	Grazing animals Huts at Goldcliff
Roman rule	AD 50-400	Start of land draining to create grazing and agriculture on Somerset and Gwent levels
Medieval	AD 1000-1500	Extensive land draining by monasteries and landlords. Rise in prominence of ports such as Bristol Fish traps, Newport ship
Industrial	AD 1600-Present	Age of exploration and industrialization Coal and Timber shipped all over the world Modern cities and links - e.g. Severn tunnels and bridges
Future	Future	Climate change? Sea level rises? Increasing pressure on estuary? Renewable energy?

Link to Severn Estuary Who's Who - Culture and Achaeology

The Estuary as Home

Footprints in the Sand