Rev. F. R. Simpson on an Ancient British Grave. 429 



ancient British grave, containing 3 urns, and a skeleton 

 almost entire. The grave was on the crop of the sandstone, 

 and perfectly dry, having an excellent natural drainage from 

 its being so situated. It had nowhere more than a foot of 

 soil over it when discovered ; but had originally been about 

 3 1 or 4 feet below the surface, of which about 3 feet had, at 

 some previous period been removed, to admit of a paved 

 court being made to the south of the Inn. The grave is 

 formed with 6 flagstones, (from the rocks on the sea shore to 

 the north of the present harbour); its dimensions are, length 

 3 feet 2 inches, width 21 inches, and depth 20 inches. The 

 urns were found at the N.E. corner, (the direction of the 

 grave being very nearly due E. to W.,) and the body would 

 appear to have been placed in it diagonally from the S.E. to 

 N.W. corner — the skull being laid near to the S.E. corner, 

 and the bones of the feet in the N. AV. corner. The ribs and 

 several of the vertebrae, with the bones of the arms and legs, 

 occupied the intermediate space. The remains were those 

 of a youthful female. 



The large urn — Plate XIII, , Jig. 3 — appears to have been 

 shaped on the wheel, and is elegant in form and consider- 

 ably ornamented, the measurements being as follows — height 

 8 J inches, diameter of lip 5^ inches, of neck 4f inches, of 

 body 6f inches, of base 2| inches. 



The smaller urn — Plate XIII., Jg. 4 — appears to have 

 been shaped by the hand, is of much rougher material, ruder 

 shaped, and simpler ornamentation ; it is also more imper- 

 fectly baked. Its dimensions are — height 5 inches, diameter 

 of lip 4i, of neck 3|, of body 4^, and of base 2i. Neither 

 urn contained any cinerary remains. A third urn was broken 

 to pieces before the men were aware of what they had dis- 

 covered, and I have only succeeded after diligent and imme- 

 diate search in recovering 3 fragments ; but happily they are 

 sufficient to determine its character and ornamentation. It 

 is of finer material than the small one, and of superior orna- 

 mentation and shape, and also much better baked. The 

 man Avho found the grave reported that the broken urn had 

 been full of what he called black earth, but of this I could 

 discover no traces, though I repeatedly and carefully turned 

 over the small portion of soil which had fallen into the grave. 



The following account of the skull, is from the pen of Dr. 

 Davis, the author of the celebrated work. Crania Britannica, 

 to whom it was sent : — 



