On the 5th of February we re-opened the barrow at Borthor Low [Map], first examined In September, 1843, (Vestiges, p. 48.,) when no central interment was found, although it appears that the cutting on that occasion was carried to within six inches of a skeleton, which lay on its left side in a very contracted posture, and which appears to have been the interment over which the tumulus was originally raised. The only relic found in close proximity to the body, was a rudely formed arrow-head of burnt flint, but in the earth not far distant were two more pieces of flint and a chip from a stone celt. In the course of the excavation we noticed rats' bones in profusion, and near the surface some small pieces of earthenware.

May 4th we partially excavated the remains of Grindlow [Map] proper, originally a large cairn 25 yards across, wholly composed of stones of all sizes, but now almost demolished: we were therefore unsuccessful in our search for interments, but found broken human bones, accompanied by those of the rat, in every direction. We also met with a broken lance head of flint, and part of the tusk of a wild boar.

Next day we were engaged in opening barrows [Low Moor Barrow 1 [Map] and Low Moor Barrow 2 [Map]] upon Low Moor near Parwich. The first was, to all appearance, a large and perfect tumulus, but we were disappointed by finding the remains of a lime-kiln in the middle, which had been constructed above a large grave in the rock, the covering slabs of which had been converted into the roof of the draught hole of the kiln. After this discovery we abandoned the search, having found no human remains. The other barrow was much smaller, the central elevation being only a foot, it was, nevertheless, found to cover a grave sunk through the natural soil into the rock, to the further depth of six feet. About two feet from the surface we met with fragments of pottery, pieces of human bone, burnt and unburnt, and traces of decomposed wood which lay in a regular stratum amongst the stones by which the grave was filled. After much labour we succeeded in emptying the grave, which did not exhibit any marks of former opening, until about the end of our operations, when such became too evident on the discovery of the skeleton of an infant and some pieces of a roughly ornamented vase, carelessly thrown together in a corner; while, to make assurance doubly sure, at the other end of the grave was a piece of rusty iron, bearing a suspicious resemblance to the end of a pick, by no means primitive in form. The former opening must have taken place at an ancient, perhaps medieval, period, as the stones filling the grave were all of one colour from having lain in the damp so long, and were quite free from earth which might have fallen from the surface, so that we had no idea of its having been disturbed till we reached the bottom.

On the 20th of June we examined two barrows on a tract of high land, called Great Low [Map], between Hurdlow and Chelmorton:

he first had been removed almost to the surface of the land so that nothing was found but a small piece of Romano-British pottery. The other, called Nether Low [Map], originally a large barrow, but mutilated by stone getters, still covers an area 25 yards across, and is 4 feet high: it is composed exclusively of stone. Although we failed on this occasion to discover the primary interment we found remains of two individuals, one of whom had undergone cremation; and myriads of rats' bones, which were most abundant near some very large stones on the natural surface, about the centre of the mound.

23rd of June we opened a small low barrow [Probably Chelmorton Barrow 3 [Map]] in the neighbourhood of the last, which covered a rock grave three feet deep, the irregular shape of which was corrected by an interior lining of stone slabs. It was chiefly filled with stones, but had a layer of tempered earth above and below them: the latter had the nature of exceedingly tenacious clay, and in it was imbedded the skeleton of a tall man of middle age, who lay extended on his back with the head raised and pointing to the west; the hands, with the fingers extended, were placed on the thighs; an iron knife much corroded lay in an oblique direction across the left side of the pelvis, and was itself crossed by the bones of the wrist. The right femur had been fractured about 6 inches below the neck, but had firmly reunited, apparently with the effect of shortening the limb, Parallel with the right side of the body, for its whole length, was a ridge of dark-coloured earth so remarkably dense that we could not detect the substances of which it was composed in any part excepting between the right humerus and the ribs, where it contained remains of wood and of animal's skin, the earth separating with ease where the latter had been folded, and exhibiting a hairy surface almost as perfect as would be shown by a recent hide under the same circumstances of damp and pressure, colour alone excepted. Although there was a hard mass of tempered earth above the grave, a few water rats had left their bones near those of this Saxon.

On the 5th of July we resumed the examination of the barrow at Nether Low [Map], and found at the west side about five yards from the centre, four interments, three of which were placed in angle of a shallow depression in the rock, of irregular form. The most important of these was the skeleton of a middle aged man, lying contracted in the western angle, having beneath the head, and in contact with the skull, a beautiful leaf-shaped dagger of white flint, 4½ inches long, with the narrower half curiously serrated. A few inches from this unique weapon, was a plain but neat spear head of white flint. In a joint of the rock at a right angle with this interment, was a slender skeleton, probably of a female in the prime of life, accompanied by a prism-shaped piece of white flint, a piece of hematite, a boar's tusk, and a large globular bead of jet; the last found close to the neck.

The third skeleton was that of a much younger subject, and lay on the rock a little nearer the centre; it was not provided with implements, but between it and the others was a single piece of a calcined human skull. They were all about 4 feet from the top of the barrow.

Another skeleton was discovered about two feet from the surface, in a cist covered by a large flat stone and constructed across the joint of rock occupied by the female skeleton; it was accompanied by stags' horns of large size, and an arrow point of grey flint; and appeared to be the body of a person 17 or 18 years old.

In another cutting, near the outside, we found the remains of an infant, and a very neat instrument of white flint of uncertain use.

On the 10th of July we opened two more barrows of the same construction on the hills rather nearer Buxton; the first, 9 yards across and a foot high, composed of earth, was tempered or puddled above the grave, which was sunk a little beneath the natural level. We could not perceive the least trace of bone, but about the middle of the grave was part of an iron knife, to which adhered a mass of decayed wood, the impression of the grain being sharp and distinct upon the rust.

The other barrow, 11 yards diameter and about 18 inches high, is composed, as the two others, of earth tempered over the grave, which was dug nearly east and west. Within it, about a yard from the top, lay a skeleton extended on its back, with the left arm crossed over the body, the right lying close to the side, and the head to the west. The teeth indicated the deceased to have been a young man. The closest scrutiny of the earth for some distance around the body failed to reveal anything further, the knife so commonly found with Saxon interments being absent in this case.

18th of July [1849] we made a slight excavation in the large barrow at Minninglow [Map], near the cist wherein a skeleton was found in 1843 (Vestiges, p. 39). The cutting was continued through loose stones to the depth of 4 feet from the surface, when the natural soil appeared, and through the whole we found many pieces of firmly baked Romano-British pottery that had been formed on the wheel, from clay mixed with coarse sand and small pebbles, which had acquired in baking colours varying from brick red to dark grey or purple; altogether we collected near a peck of fragments, which might have been purposely broken, as no large pieces are to be found amongst them; most of them appear to be parts of vessels modelled after the pattern of the common globular cinerary urn of the Romans. Near the natural soil we found two small brass coins in good preservation.

I. Constantino the Great. Reverse: Gloria Exercitus. Two figures holding standards.

II. Constantius II. Same legend and same reverse.

On the 21st of July we opened a small tumulus [Map] [Hurdlow Barrow [Map]] on a hill above the High Peak Railway, near Hurdlow, which had been cut through the centre, but the imperfect manner in which investigations of this kind were formerly executed, afforded a chance of our finding something. We discovered that the former excavators had removed one side of a small rectangular cist, which was placed a little to the side of their trench; its other sides were intact, and the earth inside did not seem to have been disturbed, yet we found nothing within but a horse's tooth, a bit of thin bronze, and a few imperfectly burnt bones.

On the afternoon we re-opened the barrow on Cronkstone Hill [Map] (the next eminence), which was examined by Mr. William Bateman, in 1825 (Vestiges, p. 33). A short distance east from the centre was a large irregularly shaped grave in the rock, the bottom of which was upwards of five feet below the apex of the mound, within it lay the skeleton of a full sized person who had suffered from a morbid enlargement of the head of the right humerus; as usual, in the early interments, he lay in a contracted posture, with a circular instrument of flint near the head, and surrounded by rats' bones. A few inches above this skeleton was a deposit of calcined human bones, apparently interred at the same time as it. There may probably be other interments in the mound, which is about 20 yards diameter.

Walking over the smaller tumulus [Map] [Rockhurst Barrow [Map]] in Minninglow plantation, on the 20th of July, I observed, as a peculiarity before unnoticed, that it consists of two distinct barrows of different structure, or to speak more correctly, that a later barrow of earth has been cast up against the side of the original mound, which is a cairn entirely of stone surrounding a megalithic cist vaen (Vestiges p. 40).

On the 27th of July, excavating as near the centre of the earthy barrow [Map] [Rockhurst Barrow [Map]] as possible, we raised three or four ponderous flat stones, beneath which the earth exhibited a crystalized appearance, resulting from its having been tempered with liquid; cutting down through it we arrived at the natural surface at the depth of rather more than 4 feet, and found that the mound had been raised over the site of the funeral pile, as it remained when burnt out. The scattered human bones had not been collected, but lay strewed upon the earth accompanied by some good flints, part of a bone implement, and a bronze dagger of the most archaic form, having holes for thongs and no rivets, all of which had been burnt along with their owner. The dagger is singularly contorted by the heat, and affords the first instance of a weapon of bronze having been burnt, and the second in which we have found one associated with calcined bones, the first being at Moot Low [Map], in 1844 (Vestiges p. 51). But perhaps the most important conclusion to be drawn from the discovery is the corroboration of the opinion entertained in favour of the high antiquity of the cairns or stone barrows, and other megalithic remains of primitive industry, as we here find a mound containing an interment accompanied by weapons indicating a very remote period, and itself differing both in material and structure, occupying a position in relation to the cairn, which affords positive proof of its more recent origin.

On the 1st of August we examined three more tumuli, in the same neighbourhood, all of which had most unfortunately been mutilated. The first had been encroached upon by a stone quarry, and we were told that a pitcher had been found in it some years before. By removing the loose stones and earth down to the rock, we found some bits of hard Romano-British pottery, which alone had resisted the attacks of the quarry men.

The second was in the next field but one, and appears to have been nearly all removed, though, from occupying a rocky protuberance, it looked tolerably perfect. About the middle we found the humerus of a human subject, near which was a grit sharpening stone and a cow's tooth.

The third barrow in the same field was half removed, it afforded a few animal bones, part of a sharpening stone, some pieces of ancient earthenware, but no human remains.

On the 6th of August we made a section into the smallest of two mounds, near Parwich, situated in a field, called, I believe, from the owner or occupier, Saint's Low [Map], in a low situation near a small watercourse. The composition of the mound, notwithstanding its affix of "Low," indicating no artificial origin, the investigation was relinquished without our interfering with the larger mound close by.

On the 9th of August we made an examination of the remains of a tumulus [Map] [Saint's Hill Barrow [Map]] in a plantation on the summit of Saint's Hill, near Parwich, which had been destroyed by getting stone for the walls enclosing the plantation, when about 80 small brass coins of the later Roman Emperors were found scattered about the barrow.

Owing to the double destruction caused by stone getters, and persons tempted to search by the discovery of the coins, we were unable to find a single inch of undisturbed ground, and the sole evidence of former interments was afforded by two human teeth and some rats' bones.

On the 13th of August we opened a barrow [Map] [Roystone Grange Barrow [Map]] at Ryestone Grange, close to Minninglow farm, which is a tolerably perfect mound, 11 yards across and near four feet high, but crossed by a thick stone wall which greatly impeded our operations, and which there is reason to believe prevented the discovery of the primary interment. At one side of the wall we found many bones, both human and animal; the only undisturbed skeleton being that of a ohild, buried about a foot from the surface and unaccompanied by anything of interest; among the animal bones were some teeth of dogs. On the other side of the wall we found an iron knife, of the usual Saxon shape, about a foot beneath the turf; and on the natural surface below, a deposit of calcined bones containing a bone pin. By undercutting the wall as far as practicable, we ascertained that the centre of the barrow was principally of earth surrounded by large stones inclining inwards, and from this locality we drew out a piece of curiously ornamented pottery of primitive manufacture.

On the 15th of August we examined the site of a large barrow, near the last, 25 yards across, the circle being yet well defined from the foundation of the mound consisting of very large stones round the verge. The interior had been completely destroyed, about 6 inches only of factitious earth remaining, which, near the centre was mixed with an enormous quantity of rats' bones.

On the 21st of August we examined a very large barrow [Map] [Brund Low [Map]] near Sheen, in Staffordshire, about 35 yards diameter and more than 9 feet deep, wholly composed of earth, which, near the natural surface, was mixed with charcoal, and varied by layers of moss. The latter in a great measure retained its natural colour, and contained many beetles, some of which were well preserved. About a yard from the bottom a thin ferruginous seam ran through the mound, perfectly solid and hard like pottery, which might possibly be the effect of heat. No interment was found, but there is little doubt of the existence of a deposit of calcined bones in some part of the mound.

On the 17th, 18th, and 19th of October, and 1st of November, some further researches were made in the Flax Dale Barrow [Map], near Middleton-by-Youlgrave, where a large cinerary urn with its deposit of burnt bones was found, in 1846. Although the present more extensive excavation was not equally successful, it afforded us an opportunity of becoming acquainted with a plan commonly adopted by the Britons in the construction of their tumuli, by first making a circle of large stones, within which the interments were placed, and then covered with an accumulation of stones, until a mound was formed surrounded by a kind of wall of one or two courses, consisting of the aforesaid circle; the whole was then covered with earth, which, though thinly laid on at the summit, was suffered to extend considerably further than the walled circle thus concealing all the stonework. The earth around the circumference of the barrow was very compact, particularly near the outside, and in some places abounded with pieces of melted lead and calcined flints, which led us to think it probable that fire had been employed to harden the earth whilst moist, with the intention of rendering the mound more durable. The only interment discovered on this occasion was just within the S.W. side of the stone circle: it consisted of a deposit of calcined bones which had originally been placed within an urn so imperfectly baked as to have almost become disintegrated, the decay having been accelerated by the atmosphere, eighteen inches of loose stone only covering the deposit. Some flints, fragmentary human bones, and a chip from a stone celt were casually found in the stony part of the mound.

The adjoining field is called Foggy Lees, which may be a corruption of Foggy Low.