89 



PRE-HISTORIC REMAINS IN THE NEIGH- 

 BOURHOOD OF BURNLEY. 



By W. A. WADDINGTON and TATTERS ALL WILKINSON. 



December 7th, 1886. 



Mr. Wacldingtou said : — The last time it was my privilege to 

 read a paper before tins Club it was upon a kindred subject, 

 illustrated by references to those wondrous earth mounds, and 

 huge stone monuments, which speak so eloquently of a pre- 

 historic past in the " New World." It was at that time apparent 

 that the Ethnologist, the Philologist and the Archaeologist were 

 working hand in hand in the solution of some of the most deeply 

 interesting problems of modern science. All the underlying 

 chronicles of pre-historic and unhistoric peoples are being brought 

 to light and it is to be expected that much that has been con- 

 sidered shadowy and empirical will shortly be settled upon a 

 solid foundation as auxiliary scientific truth. The field of obser- 

 vation extends fi-om the extreme west of the old, to the extreme 

 east of the new world — from the Mediterranean to the Steppes 

 of Northern Asia. With nearly all the world under contribution 

 it might not be expected that Lancashire would be distinguished 

 by its offerings of the " treasures of oblivion," but it may yet 

 happen that no summary of pre-historic evidences will be con- 

 sidered complete which omits a reference to the ancient defences 

 and sepulchral mounds of the Burnley Moors. We have around 

 us many pre-historic remains so full of mystery that in discussing 

 them there would be ample verge for the most rampant specula- 

 tion. It is well to remember, however, that it is exactly this 

 wild empiricism which has brought so much deserved ridicule 

 upon the study of archaeology, and we should do well to "wait 

 upon events." The attitude befitting all archaeologists at the 

 present time is one of quiet but vigilant observation of modern 

 researches and we should do well to consider our local pre-historic 

 evidences in this spirit. We jjropose to deal to-night with but 

 one section of our subject : it is certainly the most interesting 

 and the one upon which we can speak with greater freedom, viz. 

 " The ancient methods of Sepulture." It wiU be known to most 

 if not all of you that certain discoveries of interments dating 

 beyond the Eoman Conquest have been made on the moors above 

 Worsthorne. Cinerary urns and cists have been found, and we 

 are here to-night as a Scientific Club to consider the value of 

 these "finds" and to recognise the services of Mr. Tattersall 

 Wilkinson, our new Honorary member, whose years of observa- 

 tion have been now rewarded by substantial results, In inviting 



