to the Anglo-Saxons, may, in the present stage of information, be applied to buildings erected during the Danish dynasty.-But, in popular apprehension, the churches of the Anglo-Danes possessed one peculiar feature, which requires notice.

Attached to several English parochial churches, are seen Round Towers, which a current tradition attributes to the people whose possible vestiges are now under consideration.

These circular towers of churches, are not confined to any particular county, or district. They are found, thinly scattered, in many parts of England; but they abound chiefly in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. Although simple in design, and of rude construction, they afford a subject of enquiry not destitule of interest, and one, perhaps, which is worthy of more extended antiquarian nolice than can be bestowed in this work.

As far as can be ascertained from printed authorities [aided by a correspondence commenced by the present writer, for the purpose of acquiring information on the subject] these round towers are uniformly constructed of rough materials, and such as could be easily procured;-whole flints, stones, chalk, and other coarse ingredients, imbedded in mortar. The walls are generally of a great thickness, but gradually diminish in substance, as they ascend; and the towers, as now remaining, are seldom of an equal height with the square towers of churches, raised by skilful workinen, under the auspices of affluent and liberal founders. They are, usually, attached to small churches; and are not uniformly situated at the west end;-an instance of which deviation from prevalent custom may be noticed at Tooting, in Surrey, where is a circular tower, on the north side of the раго

chial church.

It is not easy to ascertain the origin of the very common persuasion, that these round towers are exclusively the works of

See several specimens noticed in the Beauties for Norfolk, p. 48-49. In Suffolk, they principally occur in the northern parts, upon the borders of Norfolk

the Danes; unless from their frequent occurrence in the Danish district of East Anglia. It is certain that no ancient towers of this description are existing in the northern countries, whence those invaders proceeded; and we have no authority for believing that the Anglo-Danes peculiarly affected the circular form in any of their buildings. Tradition is here unsupported, even by creditable correlative argument; and it would appear that the judicious enquirer has considerable difficulties to encounter, when endeavouring to distinguish the ages in which these towers were probably constructed.

Their high antiquity must be allowed by all. Their rude and artless character, evinces an early date. But we have few criteria for ascertaining the period at which they were raised. The embellished pointed arch never occurs, except when evidently an insertion made at a date subsequent to that of the original building.* Even the ornamented circular style [or debased Roman] is rarely apparent, although it is by no means uncommon to find their simple narrow openings, or windows, having semi-circular heads.

In numerous instances, and particularly as to those which occur in the county of Suffolk,† these massive round towers of churches, are lighted by narrow apertures only, which resemble loops, or arrow-slits.

Thus deriding all calculation as to the date of their erection, such towers must be left to the conjectures of the ingenious. We have, assuredly, no rational grounds for ascribing them exclusively

The following curious feature in the round tower of the church of By. chamwell, Norfolk, is noticed in the Beauties for that county p. 49.-In this tower, "( are four pointed apertures, the arched parts of which, and the sides, are formed by plain squared stones, and the former are disposed in the shape of an acute triangle." These loops, or windows, appear to be coeval with the original building; and the editor observes, in a note, " that similar arches are to be seen in the ancient entrance gateway to Rougemout castle, at Exeter."

+M. S. communication of Mr. J. Raw, of Ipswich.

clusively to the Danes; who, probably, adopted the architectural fashions of the Anglo-Saxons, together with a profession of their mode of faith; and they occur in counties which are far distant from those districts in which the Danes were allowed to settle, previous to the establishment of a regal dynasty in their line.

Wherever may be their due station in the scale of antiquity, it would appear that the round towers of churches are, in the greater number of instances, of a very remote date. Considering the great thickness of their rude walls, and the circumstance of their apertures [in the lower part, and in the original construction] being chiefly confined to narrow loops, apparently calculated for no purposes except those of admitting air, and affording means for a discharge of missive weapons; I would suggest it as being probable that they were designed, like some churches on the borders of England and Scotland, for defence against the sudden attack of marauding parties, in ages exposed to internal warfare and frequent predatory invasion; or, perhaps, against the interference of those who were hostile to the rituals of early converts to Christianity.

ON THE MODEs of SepultuRE PRACTISED BY THE ANGLODANES.-The numerous barrows, or tumuli, dispersed over many parts of this island, have naturally given rise to various conjectures and fanciful efforts at appropriation. Gloomy, from their known connexion with funeral customs; and mysterious, through the absence of all outward denotation concerning the ages in which they were constructed; these earthy memorials have attracted much popular notice, in the forms of indeterminate tradition, and wild romantic legend.

The wondering peasant has ever shewn a fondness for attributing snch monuments to the Dunes; and many antiquarian writers have been contented with echoing the opinion of the peasantry. But it would appear that the vulgar apprehension on this subject is founded upon floating traditions, which, though curious,

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curious, are in most instances delusive. It is probable that the terror conveyed to the English by the predatory inroads of the Danes, was so deeply impressed, that it has descended, in reverberations, even to ages near the present; and thence has proceeded a habit of ascribing these melancholy emblems of death and desolation, indiscriminately, to the invaders once so much dreaded.

From whatever cause such traditional modes of appropriation have arisen, it is evident that they are frequently futile and deceptive. It has been already observed that the generality of tumuli in Britain, appear, on investigation, to have been raised by the Britons themselves. Every research, hitherto effected, assists in proving that the Danes, less than any other people connected with the former population of this country, have a claim to participate with the Briton in his rude, but ponderous and impressive, house of sepulture.

It is, however, certain that the Danes, in common with other northern nations, were accustomed to raise tumuli over the remains of the deceased. Many funeral barrows still exist in Den. mark. But the age of these is by no means accurately ascertained; as the native writers on the antiquities of that country are defective in legitimate and unequivocal intelligence.*

We

• Mr. Gough presents the following remarks on Danish modes of burial, and on the barrows remaining in that country :-"The practice of burning the bodies was introduced among the Danes by Odin, not long before the Christian æra. This age is called Bruna Olld, or the age of burning; in which barrows were raised over the ashes, as well as afterwards over the bodies themselves. In the succeeding period, called Hoigold, or Hoelst tiid, or the age of heights or conic bills, the practice of burning was not left off, though it had ceased before their expedition into Britain; and sooner, as a general custom.

The barrows in Denmark differ in size, roundness, various and distinct rows of stones. The ruder sort are of earth only, or for generals and officers with one circle of stones round the base. In the more improved ages, they added larger stones on the top and sides, as well as round the bottom; and

some

We can scarcely suppose that these invaders possessed sufficient security and leisure to erect any of the larger barrows of Britain [works so laborious and stupendous!] while engaged in unremitting warfare with the more ancient possessors of the soil; and it is certain that we have no internal demonstra tion of their having constructed such tumuli, in contradiction to the opinion which may be thus formed on rational conjecture.

Many antiquarian writers, relying implicitly on tradition, have ascribed more particularly to the Danes those small barrows in clusters which are found in several parts of this island. Such tumuli have formed objects of careful research with Mr. Douglas; and that gentleman has not discovered any document whatever to render it likely that they were raised by the Danes.* The same writer observes "that the Danes, in the 7th century, adopted Runic inscriptions on their places of sepulture; and as these barrows in clusters evidently attest that the inhabitants existed in a peaceable state, there would have been a great probability that some remains of paganism, with their inscriptions, would occasionally have been discovered."+ None such, however, have rewarded the utmost industry of the examiner.

It is, indeed, a surprising circumstance in the annals of antiquarian pursuits, that where so much has been surmised, and traditionally reported to exist, so little should have been discovered to illustrate the propriety of conjecture.

In Mr. Wallace's Description of the Isles of Orkney, it is said that "In the links of Tranabie, where the sand was blown away, were found graves, in one of which was a man lying, with his sword on the one hand and a Danish axe on the other." In similar graves were discovered combs, knives, and often the bones

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some of the former inscribed. Those of an oblong shape, and flatter, surrounded by large stones (the biggest at the end) Wormius considered as receptacles of a whole family." Sepulchral Mons. Vol. II. p. 47—48.