A HISTORY OF LEICESTERSHIRE 



Leicester, are both suggestive of the latter end of the Stone Age, or even the 

 early part of the Bronze period. The polished flint celt, with flat sides and 

 measuring 5J in. in length, found near Loughborough, is perhaps more nearly 

 related to the Neolithic than to the Bronze Age. But it is difficult to 

 pronounce positively upon separate antiquities found at different parts of the 

 county, and without data as to their environments. At Leicester, however, 

 we have the important record of a discovery which indicates the survival of 

 an object of the Stone Age through many centuries. A fragment of a flint celt 

 was there found buried in the earth at a depth of 1 2 ft., but it occurred in 

 association with objects of the Roman, and perhaps even Saxon, period. 

 Sir John Evans discovered at Osbaston a muller for crushing corn, which, 

 perhaps, may be attributed to the Neolithic Age, but it might equally well 

 belong to the same period as the quern-stone of bee-hive shape found at 

 Breedon, whose period is sufficiently indicated by the iron pins which were 

 found in association with it. 



Arrow-heads of flint, and presumably of the latter part of the Neolithic 

 period, or the earlier part of the Bronze Age, have been found at Spinney 

 Hill, near Leicester, and at Mountsorrel ; the former being leaf -shaped, the 

 latter barbed. 



Various other forms of flint and stone implements, of regular Neolithic 

 type, have been found at Aylestone, South Croxton, Kirby Muxloe, Noseley, 

 Shackerstone, Stoney Stanton, Swithland, Witherley, and elsewhere, and par- 

 ticulars of them will be found in the topographical list at the end of the present 

 article. 



The only trace of megalithic remains in Leicestershire, apparently, is, or 

 rather was, the monolith standing 7 ft. high and 3 ft. in the ground, which 

 formerly existed near the ruins of Leicester Abbey. It was popularly known 

 as St. John's Stone, and local topographers 2 were inclined to regard it as an 

 object in some way connected with Druidical rites. 



THE BRONZE AGE 



The Bronze Age is a convenient term now generally used to distinguish 

 the stage in advancing culture when man employed metal tools, implements, 

 and weapons in his various pursuits. It must be regarded as one of the 

 progressive steps by which man advanced from ignorance to an early stage 

 of civilization. Although various suggestions have been made as to the period 

 which is covered by the Bronze Age, it is at once safer and more convenient 

 for our purpose to treat it as a phase of civilization rather than a definite 

 period of time. 



The following are particulars of some of the more important objects of 

 this period found in Leicestershire : 



In the monumental History of Leicestershire, by John Nichols, F.S.A., 

 (vol. iii, pt. 2), there is a folio plate on which are engraved illustrations of 

 twelve bronze objects, all of which apparently were found at Husbands Bos- 

 worth. They comprise four looped and socketed celts ; two socketed celts 

 without loops ; three socketed gouges ; two spear-heads ; and a curiously- 

 shaped object of bronze which may have been the flat ferrule of a spear- 



' Mrs. T. F. Johnson, GRmfses of Anct. Leu. (1891), p. 5. 

 168 



