On Urns and Antiquities of the Cheviot Hills. 299 



bore the name Chester Hill, it is evident that this is the spot where we 

 should look for Mr Smart's ' encampment nearly square, occupying about 

 two acres.' " * 



" The proprietor of the field, Mr Walby, who, though in the 89th year of 

 his age, had his faculties well preserved, accompanied us over the ground. 

 He pointed out a spot on the summit of this field called Chesters, where 

 was dug up in 1859, a cist formed of loose stones, containing ashes and an 

 urn ; by the side or near to it, lay a battle-axe of porphyry or greenstone ; 

 it is perforated for a haft, and of somewhat unusual fashion ; Mr Walby 

 presented it to the Alnwick Castle Museum. He never heard of any 

 entrenchments thereabout, nor had he heard his father, who lived there 

 before him, speak of such. We do not consider that the name Chesters 

 necessarily implies the site of a Roman Camp." — Memoir, pp. 50-51. 



The maiu concern of the present inquiry relates to the objects 

 discovered belonging to the primitive races. Our member, Mr 

 Thomas "Walby, Alnwick, thus writes me on the subject of the 

 stone axe : " With respect to the stone axe or hammer, it Avas 

 found by my brother George at East Burradon Bank or Lark 

 Hall. He says that ' he found it on the highest part of the field 

 called the Chesters, and near the road-side, where he also found 

 a stone-coffin, the axe lying not far from it.' " 



I am indebted to Mr John Brown for a drawing of this imple- 

 ment, which has been reduced by Mr Robert Murray, Edinburgh. 

 See Plate VI., Fig. II. Mr Brown also sends me an extract from 

 the Alnwick Castle Catalogue No. 89, p. 23, descriptive of its 

 character, and particularising the circumstances of its discovery. 

 "Perforated axe-hammer of trap-rock. It was found close to a 

 cist which contained bones, ashes, and an urn, about two hundred 

 yards north-west of East Bank, Burradon, Alwinton, and was 

 presented by Mr Thomas Walby, 1859. The face has been 

 rendered concave in the direction of the cutting edge. The butt 

 end is smaller than the cutting edge, and is rounded. Both ends 

 have been injured by use. The shaf thole is oval in form and is 

 contracted towards the centre. The stone is somewhat weathered. 

 Length 7£ inches, width 3 inches." 



*Mr Smart's information is contained in a letter addressed to the Secre- 

 taries of the Antiquarian Society of Newcastle, dated at Trewhitt House 23rd 

 December, 182*). Mr Smart's account is superficial and indefinite. He says: 

 " The road passes the river Coquet, near to the village of Sharperton, a little 

 to the eastward of which, on an eminence called Chester-hill, is an encamp- 

 ment, nearly square, occupying about two acres, and equidistant between the 

 two branches [Eastern and Western Watling Street.] It then passes through 

 the grounds of the village of Burradon and the Trewhitts." Archasologia 

 iEliana, vol. II. , p. 246, quarto series. 



