A HISTORY OF BEDFORDSHIRE 



probably without sufficient evidence, to have been a temple (9 in plan), and was surrounded by 

 quantities of broken Samian ware and coarse pottery [Dryden, op. cit. 1846]. Square tesserae 

 were also found in the building [Brayley, Graphic and Hist. Illustrator, 378]. No bones were 

 discovered inside any of the vessels from the cemetery, but they were observed in great 

 quantities lying separately among charcoal ashes. Several of the urns contained black earth, 

 or a composition of ashes and earth. In the more eastern of the two fields were found 

 several large sepulchral urns of Upchurch ware, containing ashes, but no bones, and much 

 mutilated. In one of these urns was a leaden hook of S shape, some nails, and small pieces of 



iron. In the centre of the 

 large urns were three small 

 ones in good preservation, 

 one of Castor ware [Brayley, 

 Graphic and Hist. Illustrator, 

 378], and about a dozen 

 other small vessels, from 3 in. 

 to 5 in. high, of blue grey, 

 dull and light red, and brown. 

 Neither in the field nor in 

 the cemetery was there any 

 appearance of wooden or 

 stone receptacles for the urns 

 [Dryden, op. cit. 10]. 



The following is a list 

 of other articles found in 

 the cemetery which are now 

 in the museum of the Cam- 

 bridge Antiquarian Society : 

 A brass dish, 8J in. in 

 diameter, with a rim and 

 two handles of different pat- 

 terns, one probably intended 

 for a spout, terminating in 

 a ram's head, the other has 

 at its upper end a lion's head 

 and at the lower a lion's paw on a foliated knob. A dish much resembling this was found at 

 Bartlow in Essex, and a handle of the same kind at Hallaton in Leicestershire {Arch, xxv, 15 ; 

 Leic. Arch. Soc. ii, 65.]. 



Two brass fbulae, circular and convex, gilt inside and ornamented with an interlaced 

 pattern, of later date than the other things [see F.C.H. Beds, i, 189]. 



A hook of S shape, representing the head of an animal, and several other small brass 

 articles. 



A square green glass bottle of an ordinary type, in fragments, height about 12 in. 

 An amber-coloured glass howl, 5| in. in diameter, ribbed perpendicularly (see pi. iii). 



e3 



Plan of Cemetery at Shefford 



Brass Vessel from Shefford 



A vessel of deep blue glass, globular shape, with a spout and looped handle, also ribbed, 

 about 7J in. in height ; it was broken but has been restored. 



Two funnels of pale green glass of the common bowl shape, the lower part of the stems 

 having been lost. 



An iron lamp of a common type, a short iron chain and a hammer, also a small knife 

 with a socket for a handle. 



The top of a musical pipe in ivory, the aperture at the side forming the mouth of a 

 curious beast with large eyes and flowing curls. 



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