218 Relics of Ancient Population on Oldlury Hill, Wills. 



of the domestic animals, but no human bones. A Roman coin was j 

 found in digging at this spot. 



Another pit at a few yards distance has since been opened, and 

 more carefully examined. This was very irregular in shape, 9ft. in 

 length, 6ft. wide at one end, and only three at the other; it also I 

 varied in depth from 3ft. to 4ft. In it were found fragments of 

 many earthen vessels and a large portion of the upper stone of a 

 very fine quern, in beautiful preservation, with the grinding surface I 

 remarkably true. It is but little worn, and appears to have been 

 broken before it had been much used. It is remarkable in having 

 a hole cut on one side, for the insertion of a handle for more easily j 

 working it. It is in thickness 9in., and in diameter 14in. The 

 Anglo-Saxons used querns of this type — the top stone very conical 

 and thick. It is formed of IJpper-Green-Sand, having in it 

 fragments of some of the characteristic fossils of that stratum. 

 This stone is a very unsuitable material for grinding corn, as, being j 

 comparatively soft, it would rapidly fritter away ; and the sandy j 

 grit of which it is composed must have been an unpleasant ingredient j 

 in the bread of the period. Upper- Green-Sand querns were not j 

 uncommon in the county, 1 and their use for grinding food was 

 doubtless one of the causes of the excessive wearing away of the j 

 teeth of the Ancient Britons. There were also found in this pit 

 two fine mullers of sarsen stone, 3in. in diameter, and much worn; 

 some worked flints, including a well-made flint knife ; many bones 

 of ox, horse, sheep, &c, and the usual wood ashes " 



Coins found on Oldbury Hill. 

 Of the fifteen coins from this spot one is a sixpence of Elizabeth 

 (1592), the rest are Ho man, as follow : — 2 

 Domitian, A.D. 81 — 96. Rev. fortuna atjgtjsti. 

 Julia Domna, cir. 200 (wife of Severusj. Rev. venus felix. 

 Tetricus I., A.D. 268—273. Rev. Emp. holding Victory. 

 Carausius, A.D. 287 — 293. p. f. avg. Rev. pax. 



1 Pen-pits no doubt supplied a considerable quantity of these implements. 

 There are few other places in Wilts where the stratum yields blocks of a suitable 

 size. 



2 Edward T. Keary,Esq.,of the British Museum,has kindly identified these coins. 



