New-York tribune., 1902-06-23
BURIED TREASURE IN ENGLAND
srATEyFyrs OF A PAPER READ BEFORE THE
BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

rsrArEMFxTs OF A PAPER READ BEFORE THE
BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
From The London Athenaum.
naner by Afr W. J. Andrew. entitled,
Buried Treasure: Some Traditions RecorQS
and Facts" read by the Rev H J. u
Astley Tradition without truth is worthless,
and verification Of ancient tradition and record
is as remarka ble it is interesting. On ac-
count OF a tradition which must have survived
from the Bronze Age. at least, the missing
treasure chest of Buckton Caste-an earthwork
following the natural lines OF the summit ol
4ha: hill near Mossey-Was in 1870 the object
of dfligent search with pick and shovel The
tradition is as usual in rhyme Although the
search then unsuccessful, yet about a cen
turv ago accident disclosed some verihcation OF
the legend. for in making the road at the loot
of the camp a quantity OF sold beads were dis
covered. and examined on the spot by the grand
father of the writer. who was much interested
in such ANTIQUITIES Two ancient traditions still
hang over the old world town Of Ribchester.
some nine miles from Preston One of these
is that its great Roman camp was finally over
thrown by the Picts and Scots and burned over
the heads of its defenders. Recent excavations
have in a measure given support to the story,
for masses Of charcoal remains nn some cases
tnterspersed with human bones were met with
sn all quarters of the camp. and eighteen months
sgo Mr. Garstang came upon the granary. the
whole contents Of which appeared TO have
raised through the ordeal of fire The other
and better known tradition. viz;
il is written upon wall in Rome,
''Ribchester was rich any town in Christen-
somewhat taxes our credulity: nevertheless il
IS curious that here should have been found the
finest specimen Of its kind, in Roman bronze
workmanship. discovered either in this or
any other country, viz. the sO-called helmet,
now in the British Museum. which. however. is
not a helmet. but the head Of statue wearing
q helmet. The old rhyming tradition OF Rib
chesfer's wealth may have also referred to the
vast treasures of Cuerdale. discovered only
about seven miles from the town. Here. in
1870 the remains OF a leaden chest We're found
containing some ten thousand silk er coins and
about one thousand ounces of silver ingots Dan
ish treasure for the great bulk Of them had
been issued by the Danish kings of North
umbria
Al Nottingham. in 1880 a remarkable dis
connected with passage in the continuation
of Florence of Wcrcester's Chronicle" record
ing what seems 20 be the very incident which
explains the loss Of the treasure. A peculiar
feature Of this Nottingham find is that all the
coins have been subjected TO intense heat and
are blistered nd cockled by fire. They were
found IN the basement OF an old building during
excavations for enlarged cellarage, and mostly
belong TO the reign OF King Stephen. The
chronicer after detailing the sudden attack
upon. Nottingham by the Earl Of Gloucester, in
1l41. relates that a wealthy townsman was
made prisoner and compelled TO give up his
money. He conducted the plunderers to his
cellar. ard while they engaged in breaking
open doors and locks he contriVed to make his
escape. locked them all in and set fire to his
house II is reported that thirty men in the
the HBeaworth hoard, the ''Tutbury hoard
and the curious circumstances relating to other
finds dealt with IA most Interesting
manner