Page:VCH Lancaster 1.djvu/337

 ANGLO-SAXON REMAINS been found in Denmark, and the Danish element in the whole of the decoration predominates. A gold torque, apparently plain, but of pure gold, is described by Dr. Whitaker ^ as having been found upon the surface of Red Moss, Rossen- dale, apparently in the vicinity of other remains probably of Saxon times. The torque weighed about ij ounces, but when found it was very much twisted and distorted. Other ornaments of much interest were discovered at Claughton, and are now in the possession of Mr. W. Fitzherbert Brockholes, of Claughton Hall. They came from a tumulus ' formed of sand in which remains of several earlier ages were also discovered. The mound had covered a burnt burial or burials of uncertain date, the ashes being found within a clay vessel. A number of objects seemed to the discoverers to have been contained in a box which had decayed. Chief among these were two bronze brooches or fibulae, 'joined together, forming a kind of oval box, the outer faces perforated with symmetrical banded patterns with raised bosses.' ' These are similar to examples in the Scandinavian collection at Copenhagen. In the same deposit apparently were two beads, the one of blue glass and the p,, ^ ,;r ' o riBULA OF White Metal from Other of red paste ; also a small fibula of white Claughton. metal, with an interesting pattern, of which a sketch is here figured. The box itself appeared to have been lined with a cloth. In the same mound were an axe-hammer, spear-head, and sword, all of iron and apparently of this period, and the stone axe-hammer previously described. Weapons and Miscellaneous Other interments of Lancashire may probably, but with less certainty, be assigned to this period, as for example the barrow of river stones on Hasty Knoll, at Blackrod, near Wigan, which was found in 1770 to contain numerous fragments of iron and various military weapons ; while under all was a cavity 7 feet in length filled with black earth and decomposed human remains.* Near Stonyhurst, at BuUany Ford, Brockhall, south of the Ribble, a large mound of earth was removed in 1846, revealing a kistvaen formed of rude stones, containing human bones, and the rusty remains of some spear-heads of iron, which crumbled to dust on exposure to the air.^ In Lancashire north of the Sands, while excavating some cellars at Pennington a number of bones were found ' in a circular tomb,' and with them an ancient sword which crumbled on exposure. There were also recorded from the same site seven querns, some stone balls, and axes, found 1 2 feet below the surface.* 1 Whitaker, Hist. Whalley, iii. 366. ' See ' Early Man,' p. 225. « Jnh. Joum. vi. 74. 6 Barbour, Prehistoric Remains, 30. 261
 * Lane, and Ches. Hist. Soc. Trans, xxiv. 87. ^ Baines, Hist. Lane. (ed. Harland), ii. 86.