[7] The area was already known for the finds of numerous Palaeolithic-era handaxes—mostly Acheulean and Clactonian artifacts, some as much as 400,000 years old—when in 1935/1936 work at Barnfield Pit uncovered two fossilised skull fragments.

[6] Animals found at the site include the straight-tusked elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus), Irish elk (Megaloceros giganteus), fallow deer, red deer (Cervus elaphus), aurochs (Bos primigenius), Merck's rhinoceros (Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis), and the narrow-nosed rhinoceros (Stephanorhinus hemitoechus), Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber), as well as the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

[11] The environment at the time of deposition has been suggested to be a temperate forest of oak, alder and hazel, with some grassy areas.

They were found by Alvan T. Marston, an amateur archaeologist who visited the pit between quarrying operations to search for flint tools.

The other key paleolithic sites in the UK are Happisburgh, Pakefield, Pontnewydd, Kents Cavern, Paviland and Gough's Cave.