ANGLO-SAXON REMAINS 



division being ME AH, as on the Cuxtone brooch below, while the 

 well-known ring of Ethred has MEC AH. The commemoration of the 

 artificer is not uncommon at this period : for instance a brooch' found 

 in Northumbria has the name of the owner Aelchfrith and that of the 

 maker Gudrid, while the legend on the Alfred brooch is quite in keep- 

 ing. An analysis of the floral panels suggests the same date for the 

 knife as that deduced from the forms of some of the letters ; in the 

 latter half of the ninth century this style of decoration was evidently in 

 vogue, witness the silver bands included in the find at Trewhiddle, St. 

 Austell, Cornwall, which dates from about the year 875.^ The name 

 Sigeberht occurs as that of the moneyer on coins of Cuthred, who reigned 

 in Kent 798-805 ; and the closest parallel for some of the letter- 

 forms is afforded by coins of Archbishop Plegmund (891—923). 



A remarkable openwork brooch' of silver, now in the British 

 Museum, was found at Cuxtone about 18 14, and belongs to a small 

 but interesting class of late Anglo-Saxon antiquities. It is 1-3 inches in 

 diameter, and has in the centre an eagle battling with a dragon, 

 while round the border is engraved the legend /ELFGIVV ME AH 

 (Aelfgivu owns me). The formula is a common one, and it will be 

 remembered that the Alfred jewel, for instance, has the older form 

 (MEC) of the pronoun* ; it was also pointed out by Prof Geo. Stephens" 

 that the presence of such words in a conspicuous position shows that 

 such jewels were made to order, and probably for persons of high estate. 

 It is quite possible, therefore, that this brooch belonged to her who 

 was also called Emma, first the wife of Aethelred the Unready 

 (m.1002), then of Cnut. Her death took place in 1052, and the style 

 of the work would agree well with what is known of the early eleventh 

 century. The name was a common one, and occurs on the Bayeux tapestry. 



MISCELLANEOUS ANTIQUITIES 



Adisham. — See p. 343. 



Ash. — See p. 353. Warrior's grave discovered 1783 : head SW., shield-boss near left 

 breast with two bracers and studs, spear-head 9J inches on shoulder, iron knife 5 inches long 

 at side, and dark-grey pottery bottle, 9 inches high, at feet [Nen. Brit. p. 93 ; bottle pi. xxiii. 



%• 3]- 



At Knell, in this parish, was found a gold coin of Theodebert, King of the Franks (sixth 

 century), wt. 23 grains [Coll. Ant. i. pi. xxii. fig. 6]. 



AsHFORD. — Olive-green glass drinking-cup with three rows of hollow lobes, 9J inches 

 high, found with skeleton and weapons : British Museum \Inv. Sep. p. xlvi]. 



Barfreston. — See p. 349. 



Barham Down. — Blackish jug of Prankish type : Canterbury Museum [Coll. Ant. ii. 220, 

 pi. lii. fig. 5]. 



Beakesbourne. — See p. 343. 



Belmont. — A square-headed brooch of Jutish type, inlaid with garnets, with cruciform 

 design on foot, now at Canterbury, seems to have been found here, 3 miles S.W. of Faversham 

 [Coll. Ant. ii. 163, pi. xxxvii. fig. 5]. 



> Stephens, Runic Monuments p. 386. 2 y.C.H. Cormvdl, i. -p. 37S,fig. S ; Proc. Soc. Antiq. xx. 47. 



' Arch. Journ. xii. 202 ; Journ. Brit. Arch. Assoc, i. 327. 



* Instances in V.C.H. Worcs. i. 233. » Northern Runic Monuments, ii. 586. 



383 



