PARISH OF NETHER SWELL. 449 



The chamber was filled with stones and earth, the roof having* 

 partly given way or having been in part removed, when the mound 

 had been used as a quarry. On the floor were found two portions 

 of iron shoes, the one a horse-shoe, the other that of an ox, four 

 short iron nails, two ordinary pins, a piece of the shank of a 

 tobacco pipe, some few sheep bones, and a single piece of coarse 

 pottery, certainly not modern, but of what date it is difficult to 

 speak precisely, though it is probably pre-Romau. 



Two important questions present themselves for consideration 

 in connection with this mound and its contents. Is it of ancient 

 or of comparatively modern construction; and if ancient, was it 

 originally intended as a place of abode for the living or to contain 

 the bodies of the dead ? I think there can be little doubt with 

 regard to the first question, and that, notwithstanding the 

 modern articles found in it, the chamber was built in very early 

 times, and is probably of the same date as the barrows which 

 abutted upon it on each side. The roof, constructed with care 

 and after a substantial fashion, had most likely remained complete 

 imtil the removal of the upper part of the mound, when from 

 the stones being taken away to build walls it had been destroyed. 

 If this was the case, the chamber would ordinarily be vacant, and 

 the entrance being open it would be accessible and resorted to, 

 for shelter or other purposes, by persons in charge of the cattle 

 which were depastured on the common or by the children of the 

 neighbouring cottages. In this way the appearance of fire on 

 the side and the occurrence of such modern trifles as have been 

 enumerated may very naturally be accounted for. As against 

 its having been constructed in modern times, it may be urged, 

 and very forcibly, that such a mode of erecting any place of 

 shelter for shepherds or others has not been in use in the district ; 

 nor indeed would such a building have been suitable for any 

 purpose of that kind, both on account of its being sunk below 

 the level of the ground and completely covered by a large mound, 

 and from its not having any outlook. There can I think be no 

 doubt whatever of its antiquity, and that probably a rery high 

 one. It is not the only structure of the kind which has been 

 met with in this locality, for in a long barrow close by (a descrip- 

 tion of which is given in the part of this work devoted to that 

 class of mounds) what appears to have been a chamber of similar 

 construction was discovered, but destroyed before I had an op- 

 portunity of seeing it. A drawing was taken at the time of its 



Gg 



