Star.
London, England, 1822-08-01 00:00:00

• - . -set
ANCTIZer •••
An ancient vessel, of very Algol* Construction,
has been recenty disenvered in the old channel of the
Rather. The spot where i: was found h a field the
property of .1. B. refinfiet• Esq. of Tentetden, near
Maytham Wharf, on the left bank of a branch of the
Rother (as now denominated), a short distance from
its confluence with that river, at the west end of the
Isle of Olney, and nearly. equi-distane (about two
miles) from Rolvenden and Newenden, the site of the
ancient Roman city of Anderida. It is now six years
since, when the water of the stream being very low,
that the vessel was first accidentally observed in the
side of the bank, and some planks drawn up and used
for paling, &c. it being then conceived to have been
part of an old tank used for sheep-washing. Within
the last fortnight other wood being wanted for a si-
milar purpose, the shape and nature of it became more
apparent, and Mr. Pomfret at the request of his
Looker (Mr. Wm. Elphee) who first made the dis-
covery, granted permission to him, with the sanction
of the Commissioners of Severs, to break up the
bank, dam up the water atnive, and use whatever
means might be necessary to get at the vessel. The
work was accordingly commenced, and after a week's
labour, through a bed of sea sand ten feet deep, the
surface of the deck was cleared, and the whole upper
part of the vessel, sheaving its make and shape, ren-
dered visible, when it was found to measure 66 feet
seven inches from stem to stern, and 25 feet across
the midships ; its make is that of a barge, with a
round stern, and its whole form similar to the pre-
sent Dutch gallior, the aperture for the mast being
nearly in the centre, before the main beam. The
timber of which it is constructed, is oak, perfectly
sound, and rendered nearly as hard as iron ; of which
metal itself, whatever has been exposed to the action
of the elements, is wholly corroded, and breaks with
facility, with the exception of the eye of the hook of
the rudder in the stern-post, which remains as per-
fect as if recently fixed there. Its inner sheathing
is oak plank two inches thick. In ,the sand on the
right side of the vessel, and as if driven and lodged
against it, a balk of hewn oak timber was found.
which has been rough squared, and measures nearly
40 feet in length, and from 20 to 24 inches square.
The hatchways' of which there were two,-one be-
hind the mast, the other in the stern, were open, and
the internal space was consequently filled with sand
and water : in clearing out which, the various ar-
ticles below described, were found in the sand :—An
earthen jar or pot, very thin, of a dark (nearly black)
colour,-with three short feet, triangularly placed ;
another earthen pot, of a rather lighter colour, but
with two handles, and longer feet, similarly placed ;
these are very like, from their figure, the ancient
Roman utensils. A pint pot, of earthenware, rudely
fashioned, and similar in shape to those depicted by
Teniers. A hollow ball of yellow metal, to which
part of the blade of a sword, about an inch wide, and
much corroded, is attached, a crescent and a hollow
tube, each of a similar metal ; -these, from their per-
orations and apparent conjunction, formed the handle
and hilt of the sword, and from their uncorroded
itate may be presumed to be gold • there are some
dots and strokes marked on each side of the crescent,
but too imperfect to be decyphered.
A large steel, sufficient to embrace the hand, and
a piece of flint lying beside it, black and much worn
with use, but still retaining the property of emitting
sparks ; two rusty locks, one with an iron ring, as if
it had belonged to a chest or locker, the other with
an iron handle in the wood, as if for a latch ; a brick
of a light red colour, measuring in length six inches
and a half, in breadth three inches and a quarter, and
in thickness an inch and a half; parts of the stays of
the mast,with iron hooks attached to the rope, which
is an inch in diameter. In what appeared to have
been the cabin and cooking room, the following were
discovered :—The gloom of the stove, with the charred,
wood-ashes still adhering to it ; a tile, chequered
green and red, glazed ;another tile, about seven inches
square, glazed with a five-pointed star in a circle;
part of another of a larger square, nearly similarly
marked and glazed; an hour-glass. about five inches
in height, on the one half of which was delicately
delineated the figure of a ship in full sail, which, on
the lass being dried, peeled off and was obliterated;
a' pair of leather soles, very` round (or cow-mouthed*
in shape, with the upper leathers to cover half the
foot only, and fastened with thongs, the hinder part
unconnected with the front, and surrounding the heel
with a strap on each side, as if to buckle on front of
the instep; a paper pen-case and ink-pot, round and
curiously marked, and nearly similar in shape to
those used by schoolboys; a circular wooden board,
perforated with holes, supposed to have been used
for a game ; a sounding lead, abouteight inches long,
very heavy, and of an octagon shape, perforated it
the bottom to admit the soil, the. metal not in the
least corroded, with many other articles, too imper.
fect for description ; but, as yet, nothing to fix the
name and country of the vessel, or the period oilier
wreck, fur that such was thecause of her destruction
cannot be doubted, from the mortal remains which
have been brought to light, and of which we shall
now speak--a human skull, that of a man,with seve-
ral sound teeth; also a rib and hip bone, and several
parts of bones of an adult; the hip bone, thigh, and
several smaller bones of a child; the shall of a dog.
which, from theroundness, length,and.shape of the
upper jaw, is conjectured to be that of a greyhound;
the skull and horns of a goat, or sheep; the lower
jaw of a boar, with its teeth and tusk ; these, with
the exception of the man's skull, were found in the
cabin above-mentioned. Hitherto nothing of value,
except for curiosity, beyond the piece of timber above
t hoef
thesa sand
vessel a n
described, has remunerated the labour ; ere the close
mofothd ewpdrlese
bentsowfaeetkraimt iovs eedxpeacstteo m
d atdha t t
being floated and drawn up on land, whedit' may be
more Completely examined, and its actual value better
ascertained. In the meantime the spot bas been en-
closedofe
wvamg
ithtatmemmptobraeroyofoesnldcee,tabanled:
aassmtbaue
demandexpense'
has
been made to inspect the vessel, and such articles
as have been taken to the looker's cottage for exhibi-
tion ; and it. is hoped that, eventually, he will be snore.
than indemnified for his labour.
So mush curiosity has been eicitedby this ii
mg remnant of antiquity, that-mimy
P
metropolis, as; wet! as from vinouspdrsofns l
til,
try, ham vistteti the spot. and it
is .calculat
the number present on Sunday se'nnigh'i air
to 1,500. We have been somewhat minute

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