Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/221

REMAINS OF THE ANGLU-ROMAX AGE. 1:21 Castle Acre, is in my possession, the hair carefully designed ; it is hollow, 1-| inch in height, and has been supposed to have been used as a stilyard weight. (See cut. Size of orig.) I3ut the most important discovery re- cently made at this spot, is thus described by Mr. Parker : In the spring of 1837, the excavators engaged in making a deep cutting for the Great Western Railway, when they had reached some low ground Bronze uead found at Aveycock. on the east side of Weycock Field, came suddenly upon upwards of thirty human skeletons, and continued to find them through the distance of an acre of land. These I carefully examined, to see if broken limbs, skulls, or anything indicative of their having been slain in battle, could be detected ; but in no instance was anything of the sort apparent. The bones were a few inches only below the surface, resting on the solid chalk, which had never been disturbed, and the bodies seemed to be laid in some- thing like order, the limbs stretched out straight, and inva- riably in the same direction, following nearly the line of the excavation east and w^est. Most of the skulls bad the teeth entire, and firmly imbedded in their sockets. A large number were exhibited to me, as, Avith a view of not losing the chance of any curiosity, I encouraged the workmen with half-crowns to bring me their treasures ; but, as fi-om this numerous deposit of skeletons, my yard began to assume the appear- ance of a charnel-house, and the plan grew^ expensive, our intercourse gradually ceased, and the bones were consigned to the churchyard. No doubt this was the place of sepultui-e attached to the castle, particularly as the tower (since dis- covered) was in close proximity to it. There was also a tra- dition that a chapel formerly existed on this spot, and that it was known as a burial-place. Further to the south, the labourers broke into a line of old ivells, thereb}^ corroborating Ashmole's statement (Hist, of Berks, vol. i.), ' that there was once a village near Weycock.' They were regularly steened with flint to the depth of ten feet ; they measured about four feet in chameter at the mouth : no ancient objects were found in them. A leaden coffin was found near the wells, which they broke up, and sold the metal. The coffin was said to have contained a coin, of which all trace was