Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/383

CHAMBERED TUMULUS, NEAR ULEY. ;519 quadrilateral form, (see Ground-plan, Numbers 1 and 2), vitli an average diameter of four and a half feet, and arc constructed of upright stones and dry walling, roofed in with flat stones, in the same manner as the central gallery. In each of the chambers are three upright stones, in addition to that already referred to as projecting into the gallery, which is so placed as to form part of the walls of both chambers. There were, no doubt, originally two chambers on the north side of the gallery, corresponding with those on the south ; but which no longer exist, and their entrances are now filled up with dry walling. One of these (No. 3) is that accidentally discovered by workmen, about 1820, as already described. Of the fourth we have no other description than that, on account of its very imperfect state, it was not inserted in the plan made in 1821. Dr. Fry was of opinion that it had been injured at some very remote period, when the cairn had been opened. Its probable position, with that of Number 3, is laid down on the ground-plan in dotted lines. It appears to have been the custom to close up the entrances of these side chambers with dry walling, after interments had been made in them. Such at least was the condition of chamber 2, when opened in 1821 ; and, on clearing it out at that time, the lower courses of a second dry wall were found, in a somewhat different direction, just within the other, so that it seemed to have been doubly closed up. The roof of this chamber differed materially from that of any other part of the structure. Near the top of the side walls, a course of stones was made to overhang the course below it, the next to over- hang this again, and so on, thus giving a domed form to the roof, which was closed in with a single flat stone at the top : the construction in this respect being the same as that of the chambered tumulus at fStoncy Littleton, those of New Grange and Dowth in Ireland, and a few others hereafter to be pointed out. Possibly, indeed, the whole structure had originally this character; as when opened in 1821, there was distinct evidence of the greater part having been more or less disturbed and ransacked, at some much earlier period : and it is not improbable that, as in the examination of 1821, this was eflected by removing the cap-stones