Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/440

 342 ACCOUNT OF THE EXAMINATION OF TUMULI following notes have been made, during the recent examina- tion of an interesting group of barrows in the northern parts of the county of Lincoln, in the parish of Broughton, a place already known to the readers of the Journal by the curious manorial service of the '• gad-whip," connected with lands there situated, and first brought under the notice of the Institute through the kindness of Mr. Joseph Moore, of Lincoln.^ We are again indebted to that gentleman for directing the excavations of which tlie results are here recorded, with the hope that his example and Hvely interest in the investigation of local antiquities may encourage others to prosecute similar researches. If an}- peculiarities here noticed, differing from details hitherto observed in early sepulchral deposits of other locahties, should be recognised as contributing any fresh evidence towards the elucidation of difficulties by which primeval British antiquity is obscured, it will be a cause of gratification to the writer of the following account, as one who regards mth keen interest all that is connected with the arts and customs of eaj-ly times, and more especially those relating to his own count}^ The group of barrows, eight in number, the general position of which is indicated in the accompanj-ing plan, is situated on the property of Mr. Joseph ]Ioore, of Lincoln, who caused excavations to be made, in the months of May and June, 1850, of which the results are now to be related. The spot was part of Broughton Common, enclosed about three years previously, and now under cultivation ; conse- quently, the tumuli have been ploughed over several times. This has not, however, destroyed their form — the barrows being, in every instance, very low, as shown by the sections on the plan, and none measured more than 4 ft. in height. The soil consists of sand and peat. This ancient burial- place may be described as about 25 miles north of Lincohi, and east of the road leading from Appleby to Brigg ; at no great distance, also, from the great line of Roman way, traversing the county in a straight northerly chrection from Lincoln towards the Humber, part of the seventeenth Iter of Richard of Cirencester. The tumulus with which our labours commenced (No. 1 in the plan), measured 80 ft. in diameter and 4 ft. in height. ' See the Memoir on this service, Archseol. .Journ., Vol. ^-i. p. 239.