Sepulchra exposita, or an account of the opening of some barrows; with remarks upon miscellaneous antiquities; discovered in the neighbourhood of Audley End, Essex / [Richard Cornwallis Neville].

  • Neville, R. C. (Richard Cornwallis), Baron Braybrooke, 1820-1861
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sepulchra exposita, or an account of the opening of some barrows; with remarks upon miscellaneous antiquities; discovered in the neighbourhood of Audley End, Essex / [Richard Cornwallis Neville]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    In the pursuit of ancient remains, as in every event of life, one thing leads on almost impercepti¬ bly to another; so the examination of the mound at Elmdon produced the discovery of the celts and bronze weapons, previously alluded to. These, therefore, combined with those now existing at Wenden, may justify me, I hope, with antiquarian readers, in removing the Eastern Counties Ter¬ minus further east, and fixing it for the present in juxtaposition to its Northern and Eastern brother in the parish of Wenden Ambo. It must be allowed that in neither case was any mound brought to light, nor did the tradition of the neighbourhood even as¬ sert that any such elevation had ever existed. Still we may fairly conjecture, that as these barrows seldom reach to any great altitude, probably the plough and spade may have gradually levelled what the Celtic nation took such pains to raise,—rendered more probable in the instance now about to be quoted, where the fertile site was a private flower-garden. Towards the western terminus these sepulchres become more frequent, in which direction I have traced them as far as Rovston : there, even at the present day, the country is an open, champaign tract, rapidly, however, becoming enclosed; while about Wenden it is altogether more abrupt and woody. Here, then, we have a fresh illustration of the habits of occupation of our Celtic fathers, -—that, leading a nomadic pastoral life, perhaps sub-