The Winmarleigh Hoard

The other day we decided to sort the hundred or so CDs currently cluttering up our wardrobe (full of antiquarian notes and archaeological photographs and other exciting stuff) into some semblance of order; a pointless task as it turned out -- we never actually manage to get anywhere because each time we try something arrests our attention shortly after we’ve started: “I wondered where that had gone. Oh…and that! And here’s that missing evidence for Brunanburgh we’ve been looking for.” Etc.
One disc -- well several actually, but one in particular -- turned out to be full of interesting stuff that had slipped our memories. The late, great Neil Thompson originally gave it to us. (It’s getting depressing…almost all of our local antiquarians are now ‘great’ and ‘late’ – I’m starting to think there's something going around that only affects archaeologists.) Amongst the various archives was the following set of photographs, which we’ve compiled (for ease of posting) into one big, fat j-peg. If you want to see the larger, more detailed, version just click on the thumbnail below.

These, in case you don’t recognise them, are the socketted celts (a type of axe-head) found in the Winmarleigh hoard. What do you mean, you’ve never heard of the Winmarleigh hoard? Where have you been? It’s a good job we’re here to set you straight then, isn’t it?
The hoard was found at Cogie (pronounced Koh-jee) Hill, Winmarleigh, circa 1810. They had been buried inside an oak chest, which was held together with oak pins. There were eight socketted celts in all (we’re not sure why there’s only seven in Neil’s photograph…then again, we’re not entirely sure where the photographs originate…we could well be breaking copyright laws without realising it here…but we’ll cross that bridge when we reach it). Also in the chest were a small spearhead measuring eight inches in length, a large spearhead measuring eighteen inches in length and a leaf shaped dagger, all of which were also amongst the photographs on Neil’s CD and, by way of consequence, are now featured on this board below. Again, if you want to view the larger version of this composite photograph just click on the picture.

All of these finds were dated to the Bronze Age and are now housed in Warrington Museum. Yes…it does seem like a fair old distance to travel to view our own heritage, doesn’t it? And we were wondering why the hoard ended up so far away too. Well, apparently, Lord Winmarleigh donated the lot to Warrington…very generous of him, we reckon. Anyhow, a cast replica of one of the celts can also be found upstairs in the Grundy Art Gallery next to Blackpool Central Library. Whether the casket and its contents was buried by way of votive offering or because the hoard had some financial reason for being secreted away, we couldn’t honestly say, but we thought you might like to see them (regardless of the quality of the photograph) anyhow.
Now, we often get complaints here at the Fylde and Wyre Antiquarian that we don’t include proper maps with our articles, so at the risk of infringing copyright again (we’ve borrowed this one from Mario Maps), there’s one below (complete with our own additions for added clarity). Again, if you want to study it in more detail, just…well…you know what to do.

Before we leave this article, there’s just time for an update. At the last meeting but one of Wyre Archaeology, Gary Thornton (treasurer) brought in the object shown below. He also supplied us with the photograph, so cheers for that Gary. The artefact was discovered in 2005 at Lathwaite Farm by a metal detectorist. Recognise it yet?

That’s right, it’s a ruler from W. H. Smith’s.
And the object above it?
Well, that’s another socketted celt, manufactured, according to the experts, in Ireland circa 900B.C. Lathwaite Farm is, once again, in Winmarleigh, raising the question, why were our prehistoric ancestors around this district bringing celts in from Ireland and then chucking them away with such regularity?
Answers on the back of a sealed envelope please.