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Remarks on tfic Tumulus at Cheswick. By J. S. DONALDSON, Esq. of 



Cheswick. 



IN opening one of those tumuli situated at Cheswick in North Dur- 

 ham, in which our British, or perhaps Danish ancestors were accustomed 

 to deposit their illustrious dead, I discovered an ancient tomb of rude 

 construction, containing the remains of a human being, in a state of great 

 decay, every part of the skeleton, with the exception of the skull and 

 larger bones of the legs and thighs, being nearly decomposed. Near the 

 skull was found the head of a spear, being all that remained of the de- 

 ceased warrior's martial accoutrements. This weapon is made of brass, 

 and appears to have been highly polished. It is in good preservation, 

 and is coated with verdigris. It is seven inches in length, and three 

 in breadth at the base. Of the handle there was nothing remaining but 

 two pins of brass, by which it had been secured to the head. 



The tomb was composed of five large stones : two six feet each in length 

 and twenty -six inches in width, set on edge, formed the sides of this rude 

 sarcophagus. One stone at the head measuring thirty -two inches by twenty- 

 six ; another, of similar dimensions, at the foot, and a very large flat 

 stone formed a cover to the whole. The stones were in a rough and 

 unhewn state, and appeared to have been procured from a rock of the 

 encrinal limestone upon the adjacent beach. The tomb was placed upon 

 the ground on a level with a surrounding field, about 250 yards from 

 high water-mark, and the stones forming the tumulus from their water- 

 worn appearance, had evidently been principally procured from the sea- 

 shore. The height of the tumulus was about twenty feet, and the area 

 of its base about fifty feet in diameter. A fine coat of smooth green 

 turf covered the whole, and from the top was an extensive and beautiful 

 view of the coast from St Abb's Head to Bamburgh Castle, including 

 Lindesfarn, and the Inner Farn Island, &c. A range of similar bar- 

 rows or tumuli is traceable along this coast, viz. North Durham. One 

 was opened some years since about one-fourth of a mile to the north- 

 ward of that now described, and was found to contain human bones, but 

 no tomb, or any other remains of antiquity, were then discovered. Si- 

 milar tumuli have been explored in this and the adjoining county of 

 Northumberland of late, and with nearly the same results. In some, as 

 at Buckton in North Durham, vases of clay, containing ashes, were 

 found, and at North Charlton in Northumberland, a weapon like to that 

 found at Cheswick was discovered. I am not sufficiently acquainted 

 with the subject to determine whether the absence of the vase or urn in 

 the Cheswick tomb, will refer it to an earlier or later period of anti- 

 quity. I should not omit to mention, that before the workmen arrived 

 at the tornb in the centre of the tumulus, they found several skeletons at 

 an inconsiderable depth below the surface. These were lying promis- 

 cuously amongst the stones, and some of them were entire. In referring 

 to Stackhouse's Illustrations of British Tumuli, I find that the learned 



