EARLY MAN
urn containing bones and ashes; and in Aynsome Lane, an urn 14 in. high containing a quantity of half burnt bones and ashes.
For the same geographical reason, probably, which results in a scarcity of all antiquities in the eastern portion of this district, where it abuts upon Westmorland, no burials are recorded between Cartmel and the head of Lake Windermere. At the latter place, in Hawkshead Hall Park, a little to the south-east of the mill-pond, was a cairn; and a stone circle occurred east of Knipe Ground plantation, with more cairns a little more than half a mile south-south-west of this last. Interments seem to have been made in the first instance in a small square hole, which had been covered with a boulder. Amongst the burnt human remains was a small flint knife.
West of Coniston Water at Torver (Bleaberry Hawes) is recorded a cairn 29 ft. in diameter, amongst others, with a burial cist and cremated interments, among the remains of which were found fragments of pottery and of worked flints. In the first case stones showing the action of fire were found all the way through, as well as small quantities of charcoal.
From this place southward there is a continuous area of prehistoric interments. Just north of Knapperthaw, which is near to Lowick, are remains of a stone circle, which has been erected upon a stone ring platform or embankment. On the north-west side still remain five stones of small size, while the position of others is traceable. Probably the circle was about 90 ft. internal diameter. There was sign of an inner chamber on the north-west, and, to the south-west, of an entrance or gap in the ring, supposed to be ancient. Near Kirkby Ireleth, at Heathwaite, were two small barrows, close to two stone circles, called the 'Giants' Graves,' which on being excavated about two years ago were found to contain the bones of men covered by a flat stone. 'In one was a fragment of a stone ring about two inches in diameter.' At Ireleth Mill, also, were found eight urns without tumuli, arranged in a line north-east to south-west, each containing human bones.
At Stainton, near Dalton, where some direct evidences of the Bronze Age have been found, there has been discovered also a large cinerary urn, with upper band, and 'rudely ornamented with diagonal lines forming a pattern.' A small bronze implement was found within. Another similar urn found at hand contained a smaller vessel, which is said to have held the calcined remains of a child.
At Birkrigg Common, which is east of Dalton, on a part overlooking the village of Bardsea, was a circle about 10 ft. in diameter surrounded by ten unhewn stones, each about 3 ft. in height. It has long been called the Druids' Temple. This does not seem to have been explored. But on Kirkby Moor there has been found evidence of interments in association with stone circles and cairns.
Further south, at Scales, near Aldingham, as long ago as 1803 there were found remains of cremated interments in an urn under a small cairn. Near to this spot was found also 'a tomb in which two persons had been interred, having a broad, flat limestone laid over it, upon two upright stones at the end.' At Baycliff, near to the same place, are recorded some sepulchral urns from near the Moat and Colt Park; while in the southern limit of the peninsula, at Roose, has been found a burial by cremation, accompanied by vases of pottery deposited. The body seems to have been
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