Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/377

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"Ein ^rcjaeologtcal SountaU DECEMBER, 1854. DESCRIPTION OF A CHAMBERED TUMULUS, NEAR ULEY, GLOUCESTERSHIRE. The remarkable chambered tumulus or cairn, near Uley in Glouccstersliire, has not attracted much notice ; and we search in vain the pages of Camden and later topographical and antiquarian writers, for any reference to it. Its situation, about a quarter of a mile to the east of the well-known camp of Uleybur}^, is remai'kably conspicuous on the brow of the Cots wold hills, here called the " Freeze." It is close to the point selected by a celebrated writer,^ for its "strikingly sublime " view, over " the deep and shaded vale of Severn, with all its towers, forests, and streams," with the Brecknock Beacons seen in one direction, and the Malvern hills and Titterstone in the other. This tumulus, locally termed a " tump," -^ is a long barrow or cairn of stones, covered ■with a thin layer of vegetable earth. It had been planted with beechwood, which was cut 1 The Rev. Sydney Smith. — " Sketches of Moral Philosopliy," p. 235. - Tump, from the Welsh Twmp, or Twmpath, a mound. " Hetty Pegler's tump " is the name by which tliis cairn is known to the peasantry. " Peirler " is a common surname in this ])art of Glouces- tershire, an(i the villagers of Uley, on being asked as to its application to this spot, whisper an opprobrious story, in regard to a per.son of the name, formerly living at the adjacent village of jS'ympstield. The name, however, doubtless commemorated a no less worthy action than a deed of charity. On visiting the church at Uley, the writer found, on the wall of the chancel, a tablet of the seventeenth century, with the following inscription : — " Near this place lieth interred the body of Henry Pegler of this parish, Gent. Who died VOL. XI. on the 12th day of August, 16.05, aged 85, (He gave a parcel of land and ten shillings in money to the use of the po<ir of this parish for ever.)"' " Also the body of

  • Hester ' his wife, who died the 2Gth day

of Nov.,l(;.04,aged 69." On a list of be*- nefactors, in another part of the church, is as follows: — "Captain Henry Pegler gave 1 shillings per ann. to be paid out of Broadstone field in Uley, 5s. to be given away in bread to the poor, and Sg. to the minister for a sermon on the )7th day of February." This becjuest is at the ])re- sent time in dispute. There exists a tumulus in Westmoreland, near (Jreat Asby, known by the name of Hollin Stump, a corruption probably of Tump. It was opened in 1837, and three skeletons discovered, with the bones of a horse's head.