40 I'APKHS, ETC. 



preceded, so that in the course of time the existenoe of 

 such tumuli will be only known from books. 



These tumuli here described appear rather to beloug to 

 the class of chambered tumuli than to those which contain 

 the simple eist alone, in which the burnt bones were de- 

 posited. Yet the one which was perfect does not seem to 

 be of the same character as that at Wellow, further than re- 

 gards the aide walls of loose stones. It is probable, there- 

 fore, it was of much later construetion ; and this the 

 weapon found in it, and the clay vessel, seem to indicate. 



In the same vol. of MS. letters, presented by will to the 

 Bath Literary and Scientific Institution by the late Rev. 

 J. Skinner, he describes the first opening of the tumulus 

 at Wellow. He states, in his letter dated Dec. 1, 1815, 

 that the " Barrow was partially opened about fifty years 

 ago, when the farmer who oecupied the ground carried 

 away many cart loads of stones for the roads, and at length 

 made an opening in the side of the passage, through which 

 they entered the sepulchre. But Mr. Smith, of Stoney 

 Littleton House, owner of the estate, hearing of the cir- 

 cumstance, bade him desist from hauling more stones ; but 

 as the discovery made some noise in the neighbourhood, 

 the country people from time to time entered by the same 

 opening, and took away many of the bones, etc. It was 

 never properly examined tili I had done it." 



Thus to Mr. Skinner is due the honour of first calling 

 attention to this interesting tumulus. 



After Mr. Skinner had given this aecount to Mr. 

 Douglas, Sir R. C. Hoare called the attention of antiqua- 

 ries to this deeply interesting sepulchral tumulus, and by 

 the aid of his friend Mr. Skinner caused every portion to 

 be measured, and correct drawings to be made of it, which 



