284 



On Urns and Antiquities of the Cheviot Hills. 



of them in July of that year. The date of the discovery was 



June 5, 1857. 



"The principal object of my journey," says Mr Tate, " was to 



see bronze weapons at Brandon. Near the summit of the hill 

 east of Brandon farm, three bronze leaf -shaped 

 swords were exposed by ploughing 1 8 inches below 

 the surface. They were lying parallel to each other 

 in the direction from north to south. One of them 

 was broken to pieces by the plough, another escaped 

 injury except in the handle, and the third was 

 untouched. The second one, Mr James, farmer, 

 Brandon, retains in his possession, and the third he 

 gave to his landlord, Mr Allgood of Nun wick. 

 That at Brandon we saw to-day. It is beautifully 

 formed — of a fine leaf-shape, and well made. It 

 swells from the edges towards the middle ; and a 

 I, |j|||| raised line runs round the sword at a little distance 

 from the edge. The point is slightly broken, but 

 the edges are pretty stout." It is, he says elsewhere, 

 "of the shape called by Merrick, Cleddyv" and 

 again "it is of a similar beautiful shape and work- 

 manship to those from Thrunton," where in 1847 a 

 similar discovery was made of three bronze spears 

 and javelin heads, and two swords. It is covered 

 over with verdigris, but is notwithstanding in good 

 condition. When first seen the handle was on it, 

 and attached to the bronze handle was a wooden 

 one fastened by rivets. The wood, however, 

 speedily crumbled to dust, and by the carelessness of 

 the men, the metallic handle was broken. It is 20£ 

 inches long in the blade, and 3 inches in the 

 handle. It had -5 rivet-holes by which the wood 

 had been fastened to the bronze." 



My friend Mr Blair, F.S.A., South Shields, at 

 considerable trouble to himself, let alone a heavy 

 tramp through the snow, made me a drawing of the 

 example preserved at Nunwick — Fig. 10. 



It is labelled: "Ploughed up on the East Hill, 

 Brandon, June 5, 1857, and presented to Mr 

 Allgood by Thomas James." Mr Blair writes : 

 " One side of the sword is bright, without any trace 

 of oxide ; the other is covered with a green oxide ; the clean 



