ANGLO-SAXON REMAINS 



by the monks of St. Albans, and in the opinion of an archaeologist of 

 much experience, the late Thomas Wright, resulted in the discovery 

 of an Anglo-Saxon burial place, though the interpretation comes 

 more than seven centuries after the incident referred to, which is recorded 

 in detail in the Archceologia? 



In the words of Roger of Wendover, himself a monk of St. Albans, 

 the holy martyr Amphibalus was lying between two of his companions, 

 whilst the third was found lying crossways in a place by itself. They 

 also found near the place six others of the martyrs, making with St. 

 Amphibalus himself ten in all. Among other relics of this champion 

 of Christ were found two large knives, one in his skull and the other 

 near his breast, confirming the account which was handed down from 

 ancient times in the book of his martyrdom. For, according to that 

 book, Amphibalus himself was first disembowelled, then pierced with 

 lances and knives, and finally stoned to death ; for which cause also none 

 of his bones were found entire, though in all the corpses of his com- 

 panions not a bone was broken. The bones were carefully gathered up 

 and carried in solemn triumph to the abbey church. 3 



Mr. Wright thought that he could with little trouble adduce from 

 the monastic legends fifty or a hundred distinct examples in which 

 barrows were opened for the purpose of finding the bones of saints, and 

 gives an apposite instance in his History of Ludloiv. 3 It appears that at 

 Ludlow up to the end of the twelfth century the site of the present church- 

 yard, the most elevated part of the hill, was occupied by a very large 

 tumulus or barrow. This was cleared away in 1 199 in order to enlarge 

 the church, and three sepulchral deposits, probably in square stone chests, 

 were discovered within. These may be assigned to the Roman period, 

 and recall the interments in the Bartlow Hills ; but the clergy decided 

 that the relics belonged to three Irish saints, the father, mother and 

 uncle of the famous St. Brandan, and accordingly buried them devoutly 

 in the church in expectation of miracles. 



In the present instance it was acutely observed by Mr. Wright that 

 the head of the spear usually placed beside a deceased warrior might be 

 easily mistaken for a large knife by the monkish barrow diggers, while 

 a knife at the waist is constantly found with unburnt burials of the pagan 

 Saxons. Adopting this view of their origin, we may draw some further 

 conclusions from these poor relics of the dead, which at the time of 

 their discovery had probably lain in the earth for six centuries. Being 

 perhaps pagan, these presumed Saxons had no special claim to the vener- 

 ation of the monks and laity, but are of interest for the archaeologist of 

 to-day, even though the evidence they could have furnished is minimized 

 by the circumstances of their discovery. 



In the first place it is clear that these were unburnt burials ; and 

 that there were no fragments of cinerary urns may be inferred from the 

 silence of the chronicler, for such would not have been overlooked by 



1 Vol. xxxiii. p. 264 ; Prcceedings, Society of Antiquaries, ii. 27. 



2 flowers of History, i. 109 (Rolls series). 3 pp. 13-4, cf. p. 28. 



I 257 s 



