A HISTORY OF LEICESTERSHIRE 



ridge of sand adjoining Barkby Field, are illustrated by Nichols, 28 * who also 

 gives sketches of a series from the neighbouring Queniborough Field, at a 

 point west of the village and 500 yards from the junction of the roads. One 

 urn, ornamented like those used to contain human ashes, is included, and it is 

 said to hold about ^ quarts, the maximum diameter being 8 in. and the mouth 

 6| in. across, but nothing is stated as to the contents. Another of coarse 

 ware, with rounded base and vertical sides, is similar to specimens from Rothley 

 already noticed : it held a quarter of a pint only. There were also three bronze 

 bowls much damaged, one with bosses round the flat rim and another with 

 triangular ears projecting from the top, pierced for attaching a handle ; both 

 are well-known Anglo-Saxon forms, but the presence of a small glass jug, 

 possibly of Roman manufacture, is quite unusual. A shield-boss of common 

 form, portion of a long broad sword-blade, lance-head, buckles, and a frag- 

 ment of cloth complete the list, and all came from a bed of dry sand below 

 the surface at a spot on (or near) which there once existed a long rampart 

 running north and south, possibly the side of a camp. 



Nearly four miles up the same valley is Sysonby, where in 1859 some 

 human bones, with spear-heads and shield-boss, bronze ring and buckle, were 

 found by labourers on the ground of Mr. Wright, near Melton Mowbray. 

 These remains were presented in 1859 to the Bede House Museum at Melton 

 Mowbray, but there is nothing further known of the discovery, except that 

 there were no grave-mounds marking the site. 29 A lance-head from this 

 find measures about 13 in., and has a split socket of unusual length in 

 proportion to the blade, which is leaf-shaped. 



Interesting discoveries have been made from time to time upon high 

 ground to the north of Melton Mowbray, where gravel is dug and the under- 

 lying clay used in brick-making. In 1860 a number of human skeletons 

 were met with at a depth of 2 to 3 ft. resting on the gravel, some with stones 

 placed as pillows under the heads. The bodies had been placed in rows 

 3 to 4 ft. apart, and one at least had the head at the west end of the grave. 

 Spear-heads, beads, a knife, and some pottery were found, indicating burials 

 of both sexes, and one skull was isolated a not unfrequent occurrence in 

 cemeteries of the period. Two years later seven skeletons were carefully 

 uncovered on this site, and were observed to be 2 ft. from the surface, with 

 the head to the west ; but no relics were discovered on this occasion. In 

 1866 more productive discoveries were made by Mr. Fetch's workmen, and 

 Mr. Ingram's report 30 supplemented by a paper 81 by Mr. North. The 

 skeletons lay as before, and one was that of a warrior who had been buried 

 with a spear at his right side, the blade and socket measuring together 22| in. 

 A knife was found close by the ribs on the right side, and upon the middle 

 of the body had been laid a shield, the iron rivets, brace, and boss of which 

 alone remained. In other graves, not specified precisely, were found a second 

 shield-boss and spear-heads of various lengths, also two urns, the larger of 

 which was 5! in. high with a maximum diameter of 6j in. This was found 

 within a grave, and cannot therefore be regarded as a cinerary urn. One 



181 Hist, of Leu. i, App. p. 136, pi. 50. " Journ. Brit. Arch. Assoc. xvi, 311; Lac. Trans, iii, 39. 



30 Leu. Trans. ii, 94. 



31 Ibid, iii, 118 ; see also pp. 245, 333, 344, 392 ; and Arch. Journ. xxiii, 301 ; Proc. So(. Antiq. 

 (New Ser.), iii, 346. 



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