44 PHILIP J. WHITE [july 



was reached at a depth of three feet. In the mould, which consisted 

 first of a layer of black earth, then of a layer of brownish earth, and 

 lastly of a layer of brownish clay, there were, especially in the first 

 layer, numerous bones and teeth of the ox, sheep, boar, rat, and rabbit, 

 but no human bones were found. 



I then made a shorter and wider trench about fifteen yards north- 

 east of the tower. The soil here was about four feet in depth. As in 

 the first trench, there was, to begin with, a layer of black earth, 

 followed by a layer of sea-sand, below which there was a layer of 

 brown clay. In the layer of black earth there were numerous frag- 

 ments of human bones and teeth, and fragments of the bones and 

 teeth of the animals found in the first trench. Immediately above the 

 layer of sand a human skeleton was discovered with the feet pointing 

 to the east. On passing through the layer of sand two skeletons 

 were found, lying side by side, on the same level and a few inches 

 apart, imbedded in the brownish clay. It was therefore clear that the 

 burials had been made in two layers, one superficial and the other 

 deep. In the latter no injured bones, or bones out of position, were 

 found ; whereas, in the former, besides the skeleton, there were many 

 odd and injured bones, thus indicating that this layer had been used 

 more than once for purposes of burial. 



The next and principal excavation was made conjointly with Mr. 

 Hughes, immediately to the east of the tower, on the spot probably 

 occupied by the sanctuary of the priory. We also excavated in the 

 floor of the tower itself. We commenced digging at the entrance of 

 the tower, and worked outwards between two parallel walls extending 

 eastwards from its sides. On removing about two and a half feet of 

 debris, we came upon a wide stone forming the fore part of the 

 threshold of the doorway. Deeper and to the east of this stone, and 

 passing through layers of charcoal, burnt materials, and lime, to the 

 depth of about eight inches, the thick walls of an enclosure, 1 about 

 five feet square, were exposed. Further examination proved this to be 

 an ancient tomb. Beneath some rough sea-worn slabs, and covered 

 with shingle from the shore, lay, with his feet to the east, the skeleton 

 of a man. As he was a large man, and as the enclosure, so far as its 

 length went, was relatively short, he had been buried with the knees 

 drawn up. Sir William Turner, to whom I sent the skeleton for 

 examination, describes it as that of a man in the later stage of middle 

 life, with a well-developed muscular system, a hyper-brachycephalic 

 skull, and a good sized brain. Is it possible that these remains, 

 occupying as they do the most important ecclesiastical site of the 

 island, can be those of Seiriol " the Bright," of whom Matthew Arnold 

 sings in his " East and West " ? If so, this place of sepulchre might 

 mark the position of his early cell, because, as old records show, holy 

 men were occasionally buried in the oratory where they were wont to 



1 Puffin Island Reports, from 1894 to 1897. 



