148 APPENDIX.—SEPULCHRAL REMAINS. 
Down may be applied to the period between the departure 
of the Romans and coming of the Saxons, or the Roman- 
British period. As a fact corroborative of this, I may 
mention that stone coffins were found above the ancient 
Roman baths at Bath, and resting on the flooring of the 
baths. They are described in Dr. Lucas’ work on the 
Bath waters ; he considered them to be Saxon, but it may 
be doubted if this idea is correct, as no such coffins have 
(as far as I can discover) been found in ancient Saxon 
cemeteries, neither can they be regarded as Christian. 
The position of the coffins, north and south, and the coin 
in the mouth of the corpse, forbid this supposition. For 
this reason I am inclined to believe them to be Romano- 
British. 
NOTE. 
I have lately been informed that there is in the Museum 
of Roman Antiquities at Mayence, a curious instance of 
the adaptation of a Roman monument to the purpose of a 
Frankish coffin. This is a circumstance somewhat similar 
to what has been found at Coombe Down; and the only 
other instance that I recolleet of a like adaptation was 
one shewn me by that excellent antiquary, the Rev. James 
Raine, of Durham, who found a Roman altar converted 
to the purpose of a Christian grave-stone, in the burial 
ground ofa cathedral; the upper portion exposed to the 
weather being entirely worn away, but the part which had 
been buried remained perfeet. Itis now in the Museum 
of Antiquities in the Chapter Library. 
It may not here be out of place to remark, that two 
human skeletons have lately been discovered at Pierce- 
bridge, on the river Tees, an aneient Roman station, each 
with a small earthen jar placed on the breast. 
