THE
Archaeological Journal.
JUNE, 1846.
ON SOME BRITISH KISTVAENS (STONE COFFINS) UNDER THE PRESENT CHURCHYARD OF PYTCHLEY, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.
By the Rev. Abner W. Brown, Vicar of Pytchley.
The village of Pytchley occupies a slight ridge about six miles northwards of the river Nen, (or Antona,) the frontier line adopted by Ostorius Scapula (c. A.D. 50) between the Romans and the Britons. It is near Wellingborough, a market town on the same side of the river, opposite to Irchester, or "Chesters," one of Ostorius Scapula's forts. The whole country of the Coritani on this their south frontier was then and long after a dense forest. Numerous Roman coins of all dates of the Christian era have been found in the parish of Pytchley, and many traces more or less distinct of human operations at early periods occur. The name also, still pronounced Pites-ley, is significant: it is spelt in Domesday book Pihtes-lea, Picts-lei, and Pites-lea, and in old records Pightsly; and one cannot avoid remembering that the Welch or British name of the Picti was Peithi and Fichti; and their present and ancient Scottish name Peghts, Peights, and Pihtes.
Two ancient cemeteries occur in the parish, neither of which, so far as I can learn, has ever been publicly noticed; the one (apparently pagan) is in a field near a barrow, and about 350 yards northwards of the church and village; the other is under the present church and churchyard. The present paper is confined to the cemetery under the churchyard, and was in part read at the last October meeting of the Architectural Society of the Archdeaconry of Northampton.
