The mound or barrow was 30 yards from the west end of the old church, and exists to this day almost in its original form. The trunk of an ancient yew tree, with a girth of over 20 feet, still stood on the sum- mit when excavations were undertaken in October 1883 at the instance of Mr. James Rutland, who was assisted in the work by the late Dr. Joseph Stevens of Reading, who presented an illustrated report to the British Archaeological Association ; by the late Major Cooper King of Sandhurst, who prepared a plan of the interment ; and by Mr. Walter Money, F.S.A., of Newbury. The present account is mainly derived from the unpublished manuscript of Mr. Rutland, who however related most of the particulars to the Maidenhead Naturalists' Field Club in 1884, and also to the Society of Antiquaries of London.[1] Before the excavation began, measurements were taken, and the barrow was found to be roughly circular, about 240 feet in circumference at the base, and 80 feet in diameter ; while the flat top was 1 5 feet above the level of the churchyard and had a diameter of 20 feet. A start was made at the southern end, from which a cutting was directed towards the centre ; other openings were then made from the north and west, and a tunnel driven below the yew tree which subsequently collapsed. Among the roots between 2 and 3 feet from the top of the mound were found several pieces of dressed chalk that may well have formed part of a door or window in the Norman church, and been buried in the mound when that structure was restored or rebuilt in the fourteenth century.
The cuttings disclosed several irregular layers of black earth alter- nating with red sand and gravel ; and the numerous relics of human workmanship proved that the entire mound had been thrown up by man, though perhaps not all on one occasion. The upper layers contained fragments of coarse pottery, bones and bone tools, hammer-stones and flint flakes, cores and scrapers, all irregularly dispersed throughout the mass ; while about 1 2 feet down, in the western shaft, was found a pair of bronze tweezers, perhaps of Roman date. At the bottom of the ex- cavation occurred a fragment of ' Samian ' ware and part of a brick, both undoubtedly of Roman origin.
These remains of the civilization that prevailed in Britain during the first four centures of our era would no doubt be lying on or near the surface of the soil at the time the mound was thrown up ; while relics of a ruder age would be naturally included in the material taken from a lower level to form the upper part of the mound. Latest of all was the interment over which this imposing monument was raised, and a detailed account of the principal discovery may now be proceeded with. The ex- cavation had reached a depth of 20 feet from the summit, when several strands of gold thread were discovered. These had been woven into braid with a diamond pattern, and to judge from previous discoveries of the same kind in Kent and the Isle of Wight, were sufficient indication
- ↑ Proc. Soc. Ant. x. 19. Other notices of the discovery are in the Journ. Brit. Arch. Assoc. xxxix. 431 ; xl. 6 1 ; Antiq. Magazine & Bibliographer, Jan. 1884, p. 14 ; Times, 6 Nov. 1883 ; Illustrated London News, 17 Dec. 1883 ; Pictorial World, 27 Dec. 1883.
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