218 Relics of Ancient Population on Oldbury Hill, Wilts. 
of the domestic animals, but no human bones. A Roman coin was 
found in digging at this spot. 
Another pit at a few yards distance has since been opened, and 
more carefully examined. This was very irregular in shape, 9ft. in 
length, 6ft. wide at one end,-and only three at the other; it also 
varied in depth from 8ft. to 4ft. In it were found fragments of 
many earthen vessels and a large portion of the upper stone of a 
very fine quern, in beautiful preservation, with the grinding surface 
remarkably true. It is but little worn, and appears to have been 
broken before it had been much used. It is remarkable in having 
a hole cut on one side, for the insertion of a handle for more easily 
working it. It is in thickness 9in., and in diameter 14in. The 
Anglo-Saxons used querns of this type—the top stone very conical 
and thick. It is formed of Upper-Green-Sand, having in it 
fragments of some of the characteristic fossils of that stratum. 
This stone is a very unsuitable material for grinding corn, as, being 
comparatively soft, it would rapidly fritter away; and the sandy 
grit of which it is composed must have been an unpleasant ingredient 
in the bread of the period. Upper-Green-Sand querns were not 
uncommon in the county,’ and their use for grinding food was 
doubtless one of the causes of the excessive wearing away of the 
teeth of the Ancient Britons. There were also found in this pit 
two fine mullers of sarsen stone, 3in. in diameter, and much worn; 
some worked flints, including a well-made flint knife; many bones 
of ox, horse, sheep, &c., and the usual wood ashes.” 
Corns rounp on Oxpsury HILL. 
Of the fifteen coins from this spot one is a sixpence of Elizabeth 
(1592), the rest are Roman, as follow :—? 
Domitian, A.D. 81—96. fev. FORTUNA AUGUSTI. 
Julia Domna, cir. 200 (wife of Severus). ev. VENUS FELIX. 
Tetricus I., A.D. 268—273. ev. Emp. holding Victory. 
Carausius, A.D. 287—293. p.F. ave. ev. Pax. 
1 Pen-pits no doubt supplied a considerable quantity of these implements. 
There are few other places in Wilts where the stratum yields blocks of a suitable 
size. 
2 Edward T. Keary, Esq., of the British Museum,has kindly identified these coins. 
