A HISTORY OF KENT 



and glass at the neck, the largest having been repaired by means of a 

 silver hoop. Shears, which took the place of scissors, lay on the left side, 

 and near the left shoulder was the larger of two knives, with two bronze 

 plates that had evidently ornamented the sheath.' 



The extensive excavations undertaken in 1841 on Breach Downs, 

 about 2 miles south of Kingston, were described for the Society of Anti- 

 quaries by Lord Albert Conyngham and John Yongc Akerman.' The 

 site was on the road to Elham and Hythe, and about a mile distant 

 from the high road between Canterbury and Dover. Over one hundred 

 grave-mounds were at that time visible on the downs near the village 

 of Barham, but Sir Thomas Mitchell had explored many of them about 

 1809. In September 1841 forty-seven were opened in the presence of 

 competent antiquaries. The mounds varied in height from 8 feet at 

 the centre to an elevation scarcely noticeable, but all contained a grave 

 cut in the solid chalk from east to west, and generally from i to 2 feet 

 in depth. In the first grave, evidently that of a woman, were beads of 

 crystal (pi. ii. fig. 4), amethyst (as pi. ii. fig. 12), and glass with a gold 

 filigree pendant (pi. ii. fig. 9) set with a cruciform design and central 

 garnet ;' while the second contained a warrior with a sword on his right 

 side, a spear-head, knife, and shield-boss of iron, and a silver belt buckle 

 with oblong plate. Some graves contained nothing but a knife with the 

 skeleton, others not even a knife, while one large mound contained three 

 skeletons, one of which appeared to have been buried in a sitting position. 



One grave had a small ribbed vase at the head, and an urn at the 

 feet ; another had a rough urn at the feet ; and one banded vase ' con- 

 taining calcined bones ' lay at the head of a third skeleton, evidently 

 that of a warrior. In three cases had there been a secondary interment 

 in the top of the mound, and the bones of two mice were found at the 

 feet of a skeleton in a grave widened to permit the right arm being 

 extended to its full length. 



The excavations were continued in October, and nineteen grave- 

 mounds were opened. Of these one contained a silver buckle with a 

 triangular plate (as pi. ii. fig. 7) ornamented with gold-foil and bosses, also 

 a'circular jewelled brooch, both being typically Kentish, and now in the 

 national collection. The skeleton had a casket between the feet, and a few 

 other personal ornaments. Another mound proved to contain two inter- 

 ments — one near the summit. Part of a horse's jaw was associated with 

 an iron knife in one of this group, and in another burial were included 

 bones of mice and larger animals, which extended for at least 2 square 

 feet on either side of the skeleton from the neck downwards. 



In September 1844 Lord Conyngham opened eight more graves on 

 Breach Downs, all lying east and west, except one which had the head 

 at the south end. Few objects of interest were found on this occasion, 

 but at the feet of one skeleton were the remains of a casket with iron 



> Proc. Soc. Antiq. Land, ist ser. ii. 58. = Jrch. xxx. 47. 



' Figured in colours, with the beads, in Pagan Saxondom, pi. v. (British Museum). There also seems 

 to have been an iron-bound coffer at the head of this grave (p. 9). 



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