240 HORSE-SHOES AND HORSE-SHOEING. 



Sufficient evidence has been collected, however, to 

 prove that shoes were in use at a very early age, and if not 

 before the Roman invasion, at least during the Roman 

 occupation of Britain ; and that now about to be offered 

 will, it is anticipated, effectually dispose of the assertion 

 made by Dr Pegge, Sir F. Meyrick, Bracy Clark, Youatt, 

 and many other writers, that the art of shoeing was first 

 introduced into England by the Normans. It may also 

 tend to correct the equally erroneous opinion enunciated 

 by some of these and other authorities, to the effect that 

 the Goths and Vandals who overthrew the Roman empire 

 were the first to make this practice of arming the hoofs 

 known to the western world. The Goths and Vandals at 

 any rate did not reach Britain, and although the proofs 

 that shoeing was known before their arrival in Italy and 

 Gaul are strong enough, the testimony is still more 

 decisive as to the employment of iron hoof-plates in this 

 country at an earlier period than that invasion. Neither 

 have any Tartar hordes ever crossed the sea to deposit 

 the shoes of their steeds in our soil, as on the continent of 

 Europe. 



Some good specimens of the pattern we have referred 

 to as being Celtic and Gallo-Celtic, have been found in 

 situations and under circumstances which lead us to the 

 conclusion that they also belong to that epoch, and were 

 manufactured by kindred hands. 



Sir Richard C. Hoare found the halves of two horse- 

 shoes in a British barrow,' but as they are not described 



' History of Ancient Wiltshire, London, 1812 — 21. Fosbroke is 

 the authority for this statement. I have carefully looked through 

 Hoare's splendid work, but can find no mention of these articles ; 



