EARLY MAN 



implements, but is of a twofold character. There is evidence (i) as to 

 their weapons and implements, (2) and also as to their customs. 



(i) The finds of weapons indicate that the Goidel invaders followed 

 the line of the Avon from Warwickshire to the Severn. All along its 

 course from where it enters the county to about the middle of its passage 

 through Worcestershire traces of the Goidels have been found. From 

 Harvington comes a bronze celt, from Church Lench a bronze palstave, 

 from Aldington a stone bracer, from Evesham, Sedgeberrow, Cropthorne 

 and Defford bronze celts. All these places are on or near the Avon, 

 and show that the Goidels occupied the upper part of the Avon valley. 

 In the Severn valley implements of the Bronze age have been found at 

 various places, mostly at spots near where some of the old tracks are 

 supposed to have crossed the river. At Dowles above Bewdley a bronze 

 axe was found in 1899 when excavating the river drift for the Birming- 

 ham waterworks. Other finds are at Bewdley, three looped bronze 

 palstaves and a socketed bronze gouge. At Astley a bronze looped 

 palstave. At Holt a looped bronze celt. At Ombersley a ringed pal- 

 stave. At Worcester a socketed and looped celt ; a bronze spearhead at 

 Kempsey. Another spearhead near the old ford at Pixham. It is curious 

 that nothing so far as is known has been found in the Severn below 

 Pixham, but it may be because the tracks that crossed the river lower 

 down were fewer and less frequented than those that crossed higher up ; 

 at all events further evidence is required on the point how it is that all the 

 implements that had been found both in the Avon and the Severn have 

 been discovered in the upper and middle parts of the courses of those 

 rivers and not in the lower portions. It may possibly be that at this 

 date the lower portion had not silted up, but remained large tidal streams 

 practically unfordable. So far as the Severn goes it might have been 

 expected that more things would have been found in the lower reaches 

 of the river because they have been dredged out to a uniform depth for 

 navigation purposes in recent years. 



(2) When the Goidels invaded the country they had reached that 

 stage of civilization at which their dead were disposed of by burning. 

 After burning, the charred bones were placed in an urn or vessel which 

 was buried, sometimes with and sometimes without other articles. Two 

 interments said to be of the Bronze age have been found in the county, 

 one in the Avon valley in a gravel pit at Charlton near Cropthorne, 

 where an urn containing charred bones was found some 6 feet below 

 the surface. A bronze celt is said to have been found near it. The 

 other on the summit of the Worcestershire Beacon, the highest point of 

 the Malvern range, where in 1849 the engineers engaged on the ordnance 

 survey found in the ground an urn containing half-charred bones. This 

 would probably be the grave of some great chief placed in a spot from 

 which it was believed he could watch the movements of his inveterate 

 foes. 



The inferences from the finds confirm the evidence derived from 

 the interments, that for some time a portion of the county certainly was 



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