Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 1.djvu/431

Rh the urn with a knife, detaching it gradually from the adjacent mould, and having at length fairly disengaged it from the surrounding mass, held it aloft to the delighted assemblage, who hailed the long-expected sarcophagus with acclamations. The largest circumference of the urn (now in my possession) is 40 inches, the circumference of the top 36 inches, height from the base to the rim 13 inches, from the rim to the top 3$1⁄2$ inches, total height 16$1⁄2$ inches. The composition is of fine clay, burnt almost black in the interior, moulded apparently by the hand. The upper portion above the rim is marked with fine zig-zag lines, and the whole dotted with some pointed instrument. Inside we found a quantity of white calcined bones, comprising portions of the frontal, temporal, and parietal bones, several zygomatic processes, lumbar vertebræ, and portions of the tibia very complete, the femoral articulations of different individuals, numerous ribs, finger joints, and bones of the feet, besides a great many teeth in a remarkable state of preservation. The bones were evidently those of several persons mingled together, as they had been collected from the funeral pile, some of them evidently adult, others, from their size and form, of a tender age—not more than ten or twelve years old." It was a bell-shaped barrow, and Mr. Ord considers it to have been a British interment. He adds, "Fig. 3 is a small urn, preserved entire, in the possession of Dr. Young, of Whitby, discovered a few years ago at Upleatham, within a larger urn. It contained ashes similar to the exterior urn. Fig. 4 represents a stone found near Court Green, in one of the tumuli which I opened by the kind permission of Sir John Lowther, Bart." 

Many years ago Mr. Britton attempted in vain to accomplish for the county of Kent that which it is to be hoped he has now achieved for Wiltshire, During the career of a long life devoted to rescuing the antiquities of our country from the neglect in which they were still held, visiting in turn all parts of England with one ruling object in view, he had opportunities of witnessing the ruin towards which many of our national ancient remains were fast declining, and of seeing how little had yet been done towards their preservation, and what vast efforts were to be made ere their value could be appreciated to an extent that would secure them from further and final spoliation and decay. Mr. Britton entered the field of archæological research when it possessed but few labourers, and his recorded exertions honourably shew how assiduously, for upwards of half a century, he has done his duty, and he must be gratified in witnessing the matured and ripened public regard for our antiquities which at the present moment is being developed, and which, all must own, his zeal and perseverance have essentially served to promote. The appeal which Mr. Britton long since made to the public to commence a systematic investigation of English antiquities, failed in its object, not from want of judgment or ability on his part, for in principle his project assimilated to those which are now so successful, but solely