A HISTORY OF LEICESTERSHIRE 



INDEX 



ASHBY DE LA ZOUCH. In 1 8 1 8, a mile north-east of Ashby de la Zouch, on a high point of ground 

 on the Lawn Hills, two urns filled with third brass coins were found by labourers ploughing. 

 Some of the coins were of Gallienus (A.D. 253-68), Victorinus (A.D. 265-7), an< ^ Tetricus 

 (A.D. 268-73) ['* Arch. Sac. i, 81, 382]. A circular vessel of unglazed light-coloured clay, 

 7 in. in diameter at the top, ijin. at the opening in the bottom, perhaps used as a funnel, 

 was found near Ashby de la Zouch in 1866 [Leic. Arch. Sac. iii, 179]. 



BARROW UPON SOAR. The remains of a Roman cemetery, containing a considerable number of 

 skeletons, urns, and other relics of burial, were opened in 1867, and again in 1874. The site 

 is about 7 miles north of Leicester, not far from the river Soar on the west, and about 3 miles 

 from the Fosse road on the east ; the lane from Sileby to Barrow passes the spot. It is thought 

 that a barrow formerly existed, since levelled, as the present elevation is not more than 2 ft. or 

 3 ft., and the remains were found 2^ ft. below the surface. A floor of rubble of Mountsorrel 

 granite was disclosed, measuring 10 ft. by 6ft., near the road, by labourers digging for limestone 

 in 1867 ; it is conjectured that this may have been the site of the funeral pyre. On all sides 

 of this, except where the road passes, remains were discovered of burials of different dates 

 (vide plan) five skeletons, five glass vessels containing calcined bones, or, according to another 

 account, at least eight vessels and remains of from ten to twelve persons [Proc. Sac. Antiq. iii, 

 44861] ; also a large amphora full of ashes mixed with iron nails and another clay cinerary 

 urn were found. Two of the skeletons and some of the glass vessels were in rough vaults or 

 cists made of stone and tiles. Two iron lamps suspended from long jointed handles were also 

 discovered. The jars had apparently been buried in separate small pits, in two rows at even 

 distances from each other. Three of the glass vessels, the large amphora, and the lamps are in 

 the Leicester Town Museum. In the following list the numbers given correspond with those 

 on the accompanying plan and show the positions where the objects were found. 



(i) Hexagonal green glass vessel, loin, high, with ribbed handle, the mouth covered with 

 sheet lead. (2) Square green glass vessel, the mouth also secured with lead. (3) Two iron 

 lamps, suspended from handles 20 in. and 14 in. long respectively, evidently intended to swing 

 from a beam or holdfast. (4) Another square glass vessel, found in a cist of limestone. 

 (5) Hexagonal glass vessel, long shape, with two handles (nearly complete). (6) Square glass 

 vessel. (7) Amphora, containing ashes and iron nails, 2 ft. 6 in. in height, 2 ft. in diameter, 

 capacity 15 gallons. (8, 9, 10) Human skeletons, (n, 12) Skeletons in cist. (13) Rubble 

 floor. (14) Cay cinerary urn. (15) Fragment of Samian bowl. No personal ornaments of 

 any kind were discovered except part of a bronze fibula found later, now in the Leicester 

 Museum, but some large bones of oxen and horses were dug up and several bone implements, 

 pins, &c., which are also in the museum [Proc. Sac. Antiq. (Ser. 2), iii, 44861; Reliq. xiii, 17; 

 Antiq. 214, 22O ; lllui. Land. News, April, 1867, 1, 380 ; Leic. Arch. Soc. iii, 221-332]. 



In 1874 a further discovery was made in close proximity to those found in 1867, consisting 

 of another large amphora, now in the Leicester Museum, also containing charred wood and 

 nails ; four ampullae of light-coloured ware ; three lamps of the same ware, and another large 



glass vessel similar to 

 -ROAD rRQM BARROW TO siLEBV t h ose f oun d before. The 



whole were inclosed in 

 a cist about 2 ft. by I ft. 

 which occupied the cen- 

 tre of a space inclosed 

 within a low circular 

 wall of rubble of Mount- 

 sorrel granite, about 

 15 ft. by 12 ft. The 

 relics were not more 

 than 2 ft. from the 

 surface, the smaller 

 vessels protected sepa- 

 rately by rude cists 

 formed of thin limestone 

 slabs. Several human 

 skeletons were also 

 found, much decayed 



PLAN SHOWING EXCAVATIONS AT BARROW UPON SOAR [Leic. Arch. Soc. iv, 321]. 



210 



