Blick Mead

Blick Mead is a chalkland spring in Wiltshire, England, separated by the River Avon from the northwest edge of the town of Amesbury [1]. It is close to an Iron Age hillfort known as Vespasian's Camp and about a mile east of the Stonehenge ancient monument [1]. Evidence from archaeological excavations at the site since 2005 indicates that there was continuous human habitation from 10,000 BP (8,000 BCE) to 6,000 BP (4,000 BCE) [1]. 70,000 worked flints and 2400 animal bones, some cooked, mostly from aurochs, have been found at the site [1]. There is also the remains of a pit dwelling formed from a tree throw [1]. A rare algae called Hildenbrandia lives in the spring and causes stones taken from it to turn bright red on exposure to air in a matter of hours [1].