404 



DISCOVERY OF A CIST 



still remained to be ascertained. It was also discovered that 

 the Eastern end of this chamber was closed in by a well-fitting 

 stone, and in such a way as to preclude any possibility of its 

 having served as the entrance to the chamber. The entrance 

 was obviously to the West and was open, but on further 

 excavation a stone was discovered in front of it in a half fallen 

 position, having either fallen or been purposely thrown down. 

 This left no doubt as to its having served the purpose of 

 closing in the chamber. A trench dug all round this structure 

 showed that the lower stones were about 3ft. high and that 

 they rested with little or no excavation on the beach in the same 

 way as all the stones discovered up to the present. The 

 chamber was found to be filled to within two or three inches 

 of the under side of the covering stone with a layer of blown 

 sand 1ft. (30 cm.) thick, resting on a bed of peaty mould, 

 formed by the decomposition of vegetable matter in the sand. 

 On the trench already mentioned being completed to the 

 entrance of the structure, an ante-chamber (D on plan) was 

 met with, about 6 feet (2 m.) square, formed of flat stone slabs 

 about 4-6 inches ( 10-1 5cm.) thick placed on edge in the soil with 

 dry walling at the N.W. and W. sides. This enclosure was, 

 as regards the walls, fairly perfect with an entrance at the S. 

 No covering stones of any kind to this enclosure were to be 

 found, and on being excavated later yielded nothing of 

 importance beyond a few sherds. 



The clearing of the chamber of the central cist next 

 received attention, and in order to facilitate this, the capstone 

 was moved back some feet, marks being made on each stone 

 and photographs taken to ensure its being replaced as before. 

 The first layer met with was the blown sand already referred 

 to. This was found to be 12 inches (30cm.) in depth, reckon- 

 ing from the underside of the covering stone. At 7 inches 

 (L7'5cm.) down in this layer were a few pieces of carbonized 

 wood, almost certainly modern, and probably arising from the 

 burning of the furze which at one time or another covered 

 the mound. At 10 inches (25cm.) down a few pebbles, such 

 as would be found on the neighbouring fields and placed there 

 quite indiscriminately, with some limpet shells, were met with. 

 Under this layer, and separated by a very decided line, was a 

 stratum of the same peaty mould found elsewhere over the 

 surface of the field 1ft. 9in. (52*5cm.) thick. Almost on the 

 surface of this layer, 1 inch (2*5em.) down, were found some 

 flakes of flint, but these proved on examination to be of no 

 interest. Close under these were found some fragments of 

 mediaeval pottery and the handle of a jug, and under these 



