Page:Ancient armillae of gold recently found in Buckinghamshire and in North Britain; with notices of ornaments of gold discovered in the British Islands (IA b31941461).pdf/7

Rh way,” ran towards Wendover, and the principal line crosses the Watling-street, about thirteen miles north-east of that town, at Dunstable. The Akeman-street, also, in its course from the Watling, by Berkhampstead, towards Aylesbury and Alcester, traverses the Icknield, about four miles from the spot where this gold armlet was disinterred. Not far to the westward is an ancient hill-fortress, near Prince’s Risborough, commonly called “the Black Prince’s Palace;” it was doubtless on account of its commanding position, a stronghold in early British times. Here also, at Kimble, or Kunebal, is the supposed scene of stirring events at that period: the name has been traced to Cunobelin, the locality having, possibly, been the field of the memorable conflict in which the sons of that prince were defeated by Plautius, 43. In the adjoining parish of Ellesborough is an ancient fortress, traditionally called the Castle of Belinus, and above it is a height retaining the name of Belinesbury. The Whiteleaf, or White Cliff, Cross, found in the same neighbourhood, is supposed to be the memorial of a victory by the Saxons over the Danes, who repeatedly ravaged this country. In the times just preceding the Conquest, the thick woods covering the Chiltern, of which some vestiges have only of late been assarted at Wendover Dean by Mr. Fox, had become a refuge for robbers and outlaws, to the great annoyance of travellers. These fastnesses were in great part cleared, and the woods cut down, by Leofstan, Abbot of St. Albans, in the reign of Edward the Confessor.

As regards the age to which this curious relic may properly be assigned, I must admit that I have been unable to form a satisfactory conclusion. It appears too elaborately fashioned to have been of British or Gaulish origin, nor has it the characteristics of Roman workmanship, which might lead us to class it with the armillæ, presented with torques, phaleræ, and other marks of distinction for military service. The ancient use of golden armlets of the wreathed type, is shown by the remarkable ornaments found in Britany in 1832, and described by the Rev. John Bathurst Deane, in an interesting Memoir in the Archaeologia. These, however, are solid, not formed of several bars twined together like a cord; but some