The Archaeological Activities of James Douglas in Sussex between 1809 and 1819

Malcolm Lyne

• Publisher: Archaeopress
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781784916480
• eBook ISBN: 9781784916497
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Archaeology
• Index: Social Sciences

James Douglas (1753-1819) was a polymath, well ahead of his time in both the fields of archaeology and earth-sciences. His examinations of fossils from the London Clay and other geological formations caused him to conclude that the Earth was much older than the 4004 BC allotted to it by his contemporaries. He had come to this conclusion by 1785 and published these findings in that year, long before other researchers in the same field. His Nenia Britannica, published in 1793, reveals a remarkably accurate grasp of the dating of Anglo- Saxon burials; further illuminated by the contents of his common-place book for 1814-16, discovered by the author in a second-hand bookshop. This common-place book, correspondence with his contemporaries and other sources resulted in the present publication recounting his archaeological and other activities in Sussex during the first two decades of the 19th century.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Copyright Information
• List of Figures
• 1. Introduction.
• 2.1. Long barrow and round barrow at Madehurst, West Sussex excavated on the 5th August 1809.
• Fig.1. Map showing the position of the long barrow on Rewell Hill, Arundel. Scale 1:25,000
• 2.2. Barrows excavated at Rottingdean in 1812.
• Fig.2. Iron buckle and two Early Saxon pots from Saltdean barrows near Rottingdean.
• Fig.3. Fragment from part-melted cu.alloy vessel from Saltdean barrows.
• 2.3. Three barrows on the Downs to the north-east of Preston, excavated on the 13th September 1814.
• 2.4. Four barrows at Balls Down (Balsdean) excavated on the 4th March 1815.
• 2.5. A barrow on Fore Hill on the Downs east of Preston excavated 19th June 1815.
• Fig.4. The Reverend Skinner’s plan of the barrow cemetery excavated on the 4th March 1815. (c.) The British Library Board Add 33658 f.155.
• 2.6. Five bell barrows excavated on Balls Down 5th October 1815.
• Fig.5. James Douglas’s drawing of an inhumation in one of the barrows excavated on the 4th March 1815.
• 2.7. Barrow on Church Hill, Brighton excavated 21st October 1815.
• Fig.6. James Douglas’s plan of part of the Balsdean barrow cemetery.
• Fig.7. The first part of James Douglas’s account of the barrow excavation on Church Hill, Brighton with drawing of collared-urn.
• 2.8. Two barrows at Black rock bottom excavated March 1816.
• Fig.8. The second part of the account with drawings of two Early Saxon annular brooches from secondary inhumation.
• Fig.9. Two urns from Black Rock bottom.
• 2.9. Barrows on Iford Down excavated in the spring of 1817.
• Fig.10. Gold ‘bracteate’ from Iford Hill barrow.
• 2.10. Miscellaneous.
• Fig.11. Water colour from the common-place book showing excavation of a small Saxon barrow north-west of Brighton.
• Fig.12. Sketch from the common-place book of two men, two women and a child attending barrow excavation at an unspecified location near Brighton.
• 3.1.The Goldstone at Hove
• Fig.13. Drawing of the Gold Stone at Hove from the common-place book.
• 3.2. The ?stone circle in Goldstone Bottom to the north of the Goldstone.
• Fig.14. Water colour of the Gold Stone from the common-place book.
• 3.3. The barrow cemetery and stones north of St. Nicholas church, Brighton.
• Fig.15. Panoramic view of barrow cemetery and ‘cromlech’ on Church Hill made by Skinner looking north from church tower. (c.) The British Library Board Add 33649 f.151.
• Fig.16. View of same barrows looking south-east towards church. (c.) The British Library Board Add 33649 f.145.
• Fig.17. View of same barrows and ‘cromlech’ looking west along coast towards Wick Hall, Hove with post mill in foreground. (c.) The British Library Board Add 33658 f.27.
• Fig.18. Close up view by Skinner of ‘cromlech’ on Church Hill. (c.) The British Library Board Add 33658 f.30
• Fig.19. Drawing from common-place book by James Douglas of large ‘cromlech’ stone viewed from south.
• Fig.20. View of same stone from north.
• Fig.21. Drawing from common-place book of two men and two boys around large stone, which from its shape could be the largest one in the ‘cromlech’ on Church Hill.
• Fig.22a. Etymons of place-names Cisbury and Chenck Bury (Chanctonbury).
• Fig.22b. Etymons of place-names Cisbury and Chenck Bury (Chanctonbury).
• Fig.23a. Etymons of Woolsenbury hill and Holingbury Camp
• Fig.23b. Etymons of Woolsenbury hill and Holingbury Camp
• Fig.24a. Etymons of Holingbury Camp (continued), Findon, Poynings, Pulborough, Billingshurst and Claydon.
• Fig.24b. Etymons of Holingbury Camp (continued), Findon, Poynings, Pulborough, Billingshurst and Claydon.
• Fig.25a. Etymons of Rotten or Rattendean, Oven dean, Odyor and Patcham
• Fig.25b. Etymons of Rotten or Rattendean, Oven dean, Odyor and Patcham
• Fig.26a. Etymons of Perchin near Devil’s Dyke and Brighthelmstone.
• Fig.26b. Etymons of Perchin near Devil’s Dyke and Brighthelmstone.
• Fig.27a. Etymons of Whitehawk hill near Brighthelmstone, Preston, Broil near Ringmeer, Blatchington, With-dean and Liddshill – Preston.
• Fig.27b. Etymons of Whitehawk hill near Brighthelmstone, Preston, Broil near Ringmeer, Blatchington, With-dean and Liddshill – Preston.
• Fig.28a. Etymons of Pang-dean, Tag down, North-horsh hill, Brach-pool-barn, various hills near Preston, Poynings, Lewes, Glyne, Radmil and Uckfield.
• Fig.28b. Etymons of Pang-dean, Tag down, North-horsh hill, Brach-pool-barn, various hills near Preston, Poynings, Lewes, Glyne, Radmil and Uckfield.
• Fig.29a. Etymons of Bedingham and Brighthelmstone.
• Fig.29b. Etymons of Bedingham and Brighthelmstone.
• Fig.30. Etymon of Selsey, with terse reference to a cromlech in a wood at Ardingly.
• Back cover