A Preliminary Report on the Sixth Century Saxon Burial Site at Brimble Hill, Wroughton

 

25th to 27th September 2000 by Bernard Phillips

Introduction

The author was approached by Mr. Peter Hyams, a metal detector user, to investigate the site of archaeological remains he had located in a ploughed field at Brimble Hill, Wroughton. The finds comprised of a pair of large gilded Saxon saucer brooches and bones. Taken to Swindon Museum the bones were identified as probably human and he was advised to show them to the police. This he did, but they identified them as animal. Following agreement, and with permission of the farmer, the author aided by Peter Hyams and others opened a trench 2.0 metres by 2.5 metres around the spot from which the finds had come. Metal detector signals had also indicated at this point the presence of further metal artefacts.

The Site

At 165 metres O.D., the site of the discovery lies on the edge of the chalk escarpment that rises from the Kimmeridge clay plateau that surrounds Swindon Hill. The latter is a prominent feature in the wide ranging views from the ridge. The field, owned by Mr Nick Gosling of Wood Farm, Wroughton, has been cultivated for many years.

The Excavation

Removal of the top soil revealed at a depth of 19 cms a packed chalk surface levelled by ploughing. In it the outline of a linear feature could be defined. At the north end of this feature two holes dug by Peter Hyams could be seen. Removal of their fill revealed in the side of the northern most a damaged amber bead. From this hole had come the saucer brooches. Iron work exposed at the bottom of the other lay at a greater depth.

Removal of a layer of large chalk blocks, exposed two human skeletal remains. One poorly preserved, evidently a child, partly overlay the infilling of the other’s grave pit.

The child’s grave measured 48 cms wide, 1.60 metres long. Its depth below the plough soil varied from 9 to 11 cms. The lower fill of the grave comprised of a silty loam mixed with chalk blocks. Aligned 22° west of magnetic north the child had been laid extended on its back, head to the south, with legs crossed and the left lower arm bent across the stomach. It would appear, from their location, that the two saucer brooches and the amber bead had come from the foot of this grave.

Measuring 1.40 metres by 2.20 metres the lower grave had its base at 16 to 22 cms below the plough soil. The grave’s lower fill comprised of chalk blocks mixed with a silty loam.

Within the grave the decayed skeletal remains of an adult male lay, aligned 30° west of magnetic north, on his right side with his legs drawn up. His head lay to the south. Originally it had been placed face up, but over time the jaw had dropped and the skull had rolled onto its top. Cradled in his right arm lay an iron sword. East of the sword hilt, two iron spearheads lay together. They had been laid so that their shafts crossed the burials thighs. Located between the sword and the skeleton’s pelvis lay a shield’s domed central boss, it was this that the metal detector had registered. Two iron studs were found adjacent to each other on opposing sides of the boss. Most likely they had fixed the shield’s hand grip in place and provided decoration on the shield’s exterior. Two of the studs lay on top of the sword blade showing that the shield had been placed over the man’s upper body after positioning of the sword and presumably the spears. Beneath the sword, near to its tip, a small iron buckle was uncovered. It is probable that this came from the shoulder strap that would have held the sword.

The Skeletons

Both skeletons have been left in the ground.

The child’s skeleton had badly decayed due to the acidic nature of the bedrock and grave fill. Surviving bones comprised of the cranium, some loose teeth, both upper arms (humerus), part of the lower left arm (ulna and radius), the pelvis, both thigh bones (femur) and half of the left leg (tibia and fibula). The height of the child was around 1.16 metres (3 feet 9½ inches). Its age would therefore be around five or six years. The presence of the amber bead and a pair of brooches make it likely that the child was female.

The adult skeleton is better preserved although the bones are fragile. On the skull the facial area had been badly crushed, but the upper jaw (maxilla) and the upper part of the left eye socket, having a prominent brow ridge, were recognisable. The lower jaw (mandible) had all its teeth present as would appear the upper jaw. Much of the spine had decayed although several neck vertebrae survived intact. Many of the ribs existed as did all the arm bones (humerus, ulna and radius). Some hand bones (metacarpus and metacarpul) remained, those on the body's right side lay on the right thigh (femur). Both legs survived (femur, patella, tibia and fibula) as did most of the bones of the right foot (talus, naricula, metatarsul and phalanx). Only a few bones (metatarsul) of the left foot were found.

Using the equation determined by Trotter and Gelser (1952, 1958) the tibia measurements give the skeleton’s height as having been 180 cms (5 feet 11 inches). Fairly excessive attrition on the lower mandible’s molars when compared to the chart in ‘Digging Up Bones’ (Brothwell, 1965) suggests that he died between thirty-five and forty-five years of age. No trauma to the limbs or skull was evident. The appearance of the bones suggest that the person had a slender build.

 

The Finds
Child’s Grave

Three artefacts were recovered from the foot of the grave, evidently placed there, perhaps in a container or on clothing.

Saucer brooches

The two large cast bronze saucer brooches, approximately 8 cms diameter, are in the possession of Peter Hyams and have not been presented for examination. They were briefly viewed by the author. Both are identical although one has suffered damage, most likely from a strike by a plough-share. Internally the surface is gilded. The decoration of a ‘chip-carving’ technique commences at the outer edge of the saucer’s base below a wide rim. At the centre a small cross lies within a circle, around this is a ring of inward pointing bars, two long, two short and two long repeated four times. Enclosing this are a further five concentric rings. The second and third of these, from the outside, are interrupted at four equally spaced positions by single inward pointing V-shapes. Traces of an iron pin with a bronze catch plate and pin attachment plate survive on the brooches’ rear.

The brooches would have been worn one at each shoulder to hold a cloak in place. Pairs are often found in female graves whilst men usually have one.

Saucer brooches can be of fifth or sixth century date, but the large size of these would suggest the later period.

Amber bead

The damaged bead of irregular shape measures 1.9 cms long and 1.7 cms by originally 1.9 cms across. It is pierced by a small hole for suspension from a cord.

Amber was thought to have prophylactic virtues and so had a defence against witchcraft. This yellowish fossil resin comes from extinct pine forests and is found washed onto the shores of the Baltic and the coast of East Anglia. The Baltic trade via the Danube dates back to prehistoric times, but a short lived trade in Anglia amber apparently occurred in the second half of the sixth century.

Adult’s Grave

Carefully positioned in the grave the nine iron items recovered are the trappings of a warrior.

The sword

Well preserved, the iron sword has a blade length of 78.5 cms and at its widest measures 5 cms across. The blade’s thickness varies from 0.62 cms near the hilt to 0.36 cms near the point. The tang is 10.5 cms long and tapers from 1.1 cms to 2.1 cms, and has a thickness of 0.73 cms. Attached to the tang a pommel measures 4.6 cms long, 0.8 cms at its widest and 0.91 cms thick. Amongst the corrosive products on the rear of the sword, as uncovered, traces of the leather scabbard remain. The leather covers about 10% of the surface and includes the sheath’s top edge. Traces of a wooden hilt also survives.

The sheath’s shoulder strap buckle

This small iron buckle of D-shape measures 2.4 cms long, 1.5 cms wide and 0.5 cms thick.

The shield boss

With a flange 1.3 cms wide the well-preserved iron shield boss has an overall diameter of 12.6 cms. The central dome has a height of 6.9 cms. Central to the top a bronze? stud stands a further 0.8 cms high. Its flat upper surface 1.0 cms in diameter is gilded. On the underside of the flange that is 0.3 cms thick, traces of five iron stud shafts are discernible, their positions suggests a further three exists. Also adhering to the flange are traces of the wooden construction of the shield.

The handle attachment studs

These four identical circular topped iron studs measure 2.2 cms in diameter. Their upper surface is slightly domed and they vary in thickness from 0.24 cms to 0.31 cms. Part of the shaft, 0.54 cms square, survives on two of the studs One stud also has traces of wood or leather adhering.

The long spearhead (stabbing?)

Measuring 45.1 cms overall the large spearhead has a socket 10.4 cms long and 2.3 cms in diameter at the mouth. The blade 2.9 cms at its widest has a thickness which tapers from 0.92 cms near the socket to 0.37 cms near the point.

The short spearhead (throwing?)

The socket of the small spearhead measures 9.0 cms long and has a diameter of 2.3 cms at the mouth. At its widest point the blade measures 2.9 cms and its length is 15.2 cms. The thickness of the blade tapers from 0.67 cms near the socket to 0.37 cms near the point.

Conclusions

The discovery, at Brimble Hill, of two Saxon burials strongly suggests that this is the site of a cemetery. The fact that one grave cut the other indicates that burials took place here over a long period of time.

Following the discovery a search by metal detector around the grave site recorded over a wide area the presence of a lot of iron. Normally metal detectors are programmed to ignore iron, evidencing why despite years of searching no burials had previously been encountered in the field.

Cemetery sites have previously been recorded on the top edge of the chalk escarpment at Bassett Down House, found during landscaping and Foxhill near Wanborough found in cutting a pipe trench. Both cemeteries were nor properly excavated. A single burial was also discovered at the cross-road just above Wanborough by workmen.