ae PHILIP J. WHITE [suLy 
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,’ 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 aman. 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. 
