ANGLO-SAXON REMAINS 



sword was found, of the usual Anglo-Saxon type, straight and double-edged, 

 measuring 341 in. in length and 2& in. at the widest part of the blade, and 

 retaining traces of its wooden scabbard. Another specimen was recovered 

 later in 1866, with a length of 39 in., and again traces of the scabbard were 

 found with it in the grave, but no skeleton. On the middle of this sword 

 lay the shield-boss ; and two spear-heads, of which one measured no less than 

 2J ft., were on the right of the sword. The remains of a bucket are also 

 recorded from this site ; the staves had perished, but enough metal remained 

 to give a clear idea of its original appearance. The two upper hoops were 

 of bronze, the lip being turned over an iron rod and having a depth of I J in., 

 while the band below was Jin. wider. Towards the bottom of the bucket 

 were four hoops of iron, fin. wide and placed at intervals of ijin. Eight 

 bronze rivets with circular heads more than an inch across were arranged in 

 the space between the bronze and iron hoops ; and the vessel had been 

 carried not as usual by a semicircular handle, but by two stout iron rings, 

 nearly 5 in. in diameter, attached at the rim, the whole being strengthened 

 by iron uprights. The mean diameter was 20 in., and its capacity was cal- 

 culated at about 4 to 5 gallons. These dimensions much exceed those of the 

 ordinary sepulchral bucket of the period, but correspond fairly well to that 

 found in the well-known Taplow barrow, 82 which dates from about A.D. 620. 



In the Leicester Museum, presented in 1870, are four double glass beads, 

 of a type sometimes found, as at Ipswich recently : a few of amethyst and some 

 small disks of shell, all apparently belonging to a necklace or bracelet, but 

 found with swords and other weapons at Beck Mill, Melton Mowbray. 

 This seems to be all that remains of several interments. 



Two miles to the east is the site of the largest Anglo-Saxon cemetery 

 as yet discovered in the county, close to the Rutland border. In 1857 

 Mr. James Thompson described certain Anglo-Saxon antiquities discovered 

 in 1823 on ground afterwards thrown into Stapleford Park, the seat of 

 Lord Harborough. 33 They were found about 3 ft. below the surface, having 

 at one time been covered by a low mound ; and consisted of pottery, orna- 

 ments, and weapons. The four urns were evidently of the kind usual in 

 cremated interments, two having bosses round the body, and all containing 

 bones and earth. The brooches retained traces of gilding, 8 * and were two 

 in number, belonging to different types, generally known as the square-headed 

 and cruciform. Without going into detail it may be stated that the former 

 is allied to a South German type, and though in a damaged condition, shows 

 the degenerate animal ornament of the Teutonic world, dating from about 

 the year 600 ; while the cruciform brooch is a native development or carica- 

 ture of the Norwegian ' long ' brooch, and belongs to the same period. It is, 

 like the other, of bronze, and measures j\ in. The beads were as usual of 

 glass or glass-paste, inlaid with various colours in striped patterns, and one 

 half of a hollow metal globular bead like one found at Sleaford, Lincolnshire, 86 

 was included among them. Tweezers and other toilet articles were found, as 

 well as portions of two iron shield-bosses, spear-heads and lance-heads, a 

 buckle, and what looks like the pommel of a sword: 86 the knife was for every- 



M V.C.H. Bucks, i, 203. a Leu. Trans, i, 159 ; Proc. Soe. Antlq. xiii, 331, puts this discovery in 1833. 

 ** These are illustrated in Anastatic Society's vol. for 1858, plates xxvi, xxvii, and indifferently in Leie. 

 Trans, iii, 39. K Arch. 1, pi. xxiii, fig. 8. M Anastatic Soc. 1858, plates xxv, xxvi ; see p. 5. 



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