A Letter from Mr. Thomas Machel of Kirkbythore in Westmorland to Sr. W. D. March 25, 1684. concerning Some Antiquities Found There

A Letter from Mr. Thomas Machel of Kirkbythore in Westmorland to Sr. W. D. March 25, 1684, concerning some Antiquities found there. Your love to antiquity, and my Obligations to you are such, that I cannot omit to give you an Account of a strange Well, discovered here about a week since by the foot of an Horse, which stumbled upon it; and therefore may be called the Fountain Hypocrene. 'Tis in the Street of Kirkbythore by the Bridge-end, on the North side of the River Trout-Beek, the Antient Boundary twixt the Lordship of Crackenthorp (my Brothers Estate) and this of Kirkbythore, and is about ten yards distant from it, in the common Road; and as many yards distant from the great Roman Causey, which leads to Carlile, and goes betwixt it, and a place called the Burrows, being part of the Ruines of Whelp-Castle, on the East side of it: And 'tis very strange that a Well should be digged so near to the River, unless perhaps the Castle-walls have gone betwixt them, and the way run through it; as at Maiden-Castle, on the top of Stanmore. It hath been covered with a Plank of wood about nine inches thick, in the fashion of a Pothid: but decayed and macerated to the colour and consistence of a Peat or Turfe; insomuch, that I could hardly conjecture what wood it was made of; but I suppose Oak. And above this was gravel and pavement about a yard thick, which (being tendered by the late great Frost and swelling of the Spring) easily gave way to the Horse's foot. Instead of Walls, were two large wooden Vessels, one upon another, like Hogheads, or Wine-pipe, with Bung-holes in them, about three inches Diameter: and the plowings for the heads were fair to be seen. They were made of Firr (whencesoever they came) above an inch thick; each of them in depth, by a Perpendicular, 6 foot at the least, at the Heads, in circumference no less than 8 foot, being in Diameter 2 foot and 8 inches: and in the middle 10 foot and 4 inches, being in Diameter no less than 3 foot 5 inches and ½. The wood was found, but withal very spongy by reason of the water. At the bottom about 5 yards deep, were 4 Planks of wood laid quadrangular wise, supported with a Stone at every Corner, to bear up the Fabric, and let in water through the gravel gravel and sand, which lay loose in the bottom about a yard deeper, as was tried by a Spit, and these also found (though the Cover was rotten) because not so much exposed to the Air. The men that searched it, having my permission, (for it lies on my side of the highway) flattered themselves with great hopes of some Treasure, when they saw the appearance of a Hoghead set on end: and their expectation was therefore the stronger, because they could not possibly imagine that a Well should be placed in an open Street, in a publick high way, and so near to the River: but they only found Fabritian Plate; old earthen-Vessels, with pieces of Urns, one piece of a drinking Glass, and several Sandals, which may serve to bespeak the Antiquity of it, for sure 'tis long since any Sandals were worn in this Country. The earthen-Vessels were of very fine Metal (if I may so call it) of a Brick-like colour, and in several Forms; But the most (and most remarkable) were, like a Basin or Posset-Cup, the Bowl, semiglobular; the foot, a Ring: some were in Diameter about 8 inches, and in depth on the inside, more than 3½; some more, some less, as appeared by the Fragments which came to my hand. They were (for the most part) very finely imbossed, but three more especially, viz. 1. One with a Vine branch, having a Figure in every turning, and in the first place a naked Man standing alone upon his left foot, the other leg cross, and holding his left hand down towards his back, his right towards his belly, with a branch of Laurel of 3 sprigs in it, one of which turns up to his face-wards over the crooke or bending of his Arm; and at his feet is a Branch of Laurel and a Blossom or Flower: In the next is a Vine-leaf, 2 Blossoms at the bottom; and at the top 2 Peacocks regardant: In the next is Victory (as I take it) viz., an Angel or Genius holding in its right hand (the Arm stretched out, and the face looking towards the Man) a Garland of Laurel; in the left, a Sprig of the same; and two sprigs likewise are at the foot with Flowers or Blossoms, and one Flower in the middle betwixt the Garland and one of those Sprigs. In the next is a Vine-leaf, the same as before, in the next is Victory, and so by turns, till it ends with a Vine-leaf next the Man. And upon it are also some Goth-like Characters of the lesser sort, but dim and obscure. Another of these Pots is adorned with Circles and Semicircles, in one of these Circles is the Figure of a Man, sitting on a Plinth or square Stone; in all the rest are fluttering Genii. In some of the Semi- Semicircles are Lions and Goats (or some such like Creatures) here one, there another; all single and current: and near the bottom, are Stags in Course and Gray hounds pursuing, with an Inscription (in a Goth like Character of the greater sort) which see Fig. 4. This may be Paulini. An Inscription with the like Characters, is to be seen at Burrowbrigg and publish'd by Dr. Lister. And they have been careful in preserving these; for this and some other, having been broke, are crammed (or rather foldered) with lead. 3. The third sort, is yet far more beautiful than any of the rest, being adorned with Gray hounds very well moulded, and in full pursuite of Stags and Hinds, and the Wild Boar; upon which I discovered the same Inscription, as in the other. And tho I am not so vain, as to say this relates to our Coats of Arms, yet having so near an Affinity with it, both in Crest and Charge; (a, the Stag's head, b. 3. Gray hounds current. c, Whelp Castle) and being found at the place which we came from (as is said and believed) I cannot but take some notice of it; and have sent you a piece to look upon, which will (without doubt) give you more satisfaction both for the matter and colour of it, than any Description in writing can do. But I desire you to return it again. There were several other broken Inscriptions; and one above the rest upon the bottom of a plane Dish or Platter (on the inside of it) writ in this manner, Fig. 5. But whether it stands for Vespasian Imperator or Domitianus, or neither of them, I cannot tell. As to the Glass, there was but a very small fragment of it, I can scarce guess the Figure, but I think it a flute Glass made like a Tunnel or Spire inverted. But this is remarkable, that it hath been as thick as a Barly Corn. The Urns were of a leaden colour inclining to black; one had been large, 2 inches thick in the side of the Pot, but how big I know not, for there was a herd only brought to me like half of a Shield: I have now the top also, being in Diameter from outside to outside 7 inches, of which the Roll is 2 inches and the Mouth 3 inches. The Neck yet straighter, and only thick there, one third of an inch. The Figure of which you have. And many such are found at this Town, some of which have Ears or Handles as thick as my Arm-wrist, and their Heads and Mouths much of this bigness, but thicker and stronger, such as that Fig. 6. into which I could not thrust in my hand. But the other was almost entire and whole, tho a very small one one; in depth or height $8\frac{1}{2}$ inches, the Diameter of it $6\frac{1}{2}$ inches which is in Circumference $14\frac{1}{2}$ wide; in the Mouth almost $3\frac{1}{2}$; in the Neck somewhat more than $2\frac{1}{2}$; by the Diameter: the bottom well nigh as big as the top, excepting the Ring; and the Body in thickness the fifth part of an inch: but thicker somewhat at the top and the bottom. But the Sandals were most admired by me, because I never saw any before. There were some for Men, some for Women, and some for Children; all shap'd by their feet, spreading more to the outside than to the inside: and some were very large and some very crooked as this in the Cut. The leather was fresh, of which they were made, but very tender when it came to be spread upon a Last. Each consisted of three principal parts; an upper leather (or rather heel piece with 2 Tabs on each side) an inner Soal, long $11\frac{1}{2}$ inches, broad $3\frac{3}{4}$; of 3 or 4 Soals stitched together with leathern thongs, and an outer Soal of 2, stuck full of Nails with little round heads (so decayed and rotten that I could scarce discern them to be Iron) plated on the inside: And to the upper leather (3 fold in the heel piece) is fixed betwixt them and sewed with leather, or rather tacked, which the Iron Nails do help to defend. Yet I think some Women's (of the better sort) had no Nails at all. And of these there is one well worth the Observation, of Spanish-like leather and curious workmanship, being exactly stitch'd down round about the fore piece long $2\frac{1}{2}$ inches with a pretty Label of the same piece, hanging from it, for fashion sake surely; since 'tis too slender to be of any use. As small in the string as the $15$th part of an inch. The Tongue at the end broad half an inch, long one inch, betwixt the two flourishes, which is the length of the small string, 8 parts in 10 of an inch, the two flourishes take up the rest. The Figure of which you may see. When I first discovered them, I thought peradventure, that the people here, in former times might have worn such Shoes, as they do in Ireland, and the Highlands of Scotland, which they call Brogues: and that these might be such; but having the opportunity of discoursing an Highlander that travelled by, while we were digging: and another Gentleman the very next day, who had travelled those Countries; I was fully satisfied that they were not Brogues; for those (they say) have but one single Soal, and these have six. And so I leave them and the whole matter to your Consideration, &c.