Thomas Bateman 1846. On the 6th of February, 1847, a barrow [Map] [Flax Dale Barrow [Map]] was opened which is situated in the township of Middleton-by-Yolgrave, near a small valley called Flax-dale. It is of the usual bowl-shaped form, and is about three feet in height. Near the centre was found a fine sepulchral urn, neatly ornamented, containing a deposit of calcined bones, over which it was placed, with the mouth downwards. The urn was inclosed within a rude cist, partly cut in the rock, partly walled round, and covered with a large flat stone; about this and indeed throughout the barrow were many pieces of flinty some of which are chipped into the shape of arrow-heads &c. The presence of rats' bones indicated that there had been an interment by inhumation in addition to the foregoing one. Part of a skull and a few bits of pottery were all the vestiges of this deposit which appears to have been disturbed at the time of the interment of the urn and its contents.

Middleton. On the 17th, 18th, and 19th of October, and 1st of November, some further researches were made in the Flax Dale Barrow [Map], near Middleton-by-Youlgrave, where a large cinerary urn with its deposit of burnt bones was found, in 1846. Although the present more extensive excavation was not equally successful, it afforded us an opportunity of becoming acquainted with a plan commonly adopted by the Britons in the construction of their tumuli, by first making a circle of large stones, within which the interments were placed, and then covered with an accumulation of stones, until a mound was formed surrounded by a kind of wall of one or two courses, consisting of the aforesaid circle; the whole was then covered with earth, which, though thinly laid on at the summit, was suffered to extend considerably further than the walled circle thus concealing all the stonework. The earth around the circumference of the barrow was very compact, particularly near the outside, and in some places abounded with pieces of melted lead and calcined flints, which led us to think it probable that fire had been employed to harden the earth whilst moist, with the intention of rendering the mound more durable. The only interment discovered on this occasion was just within the S.W. side of the stone circle: it consisted of a deposit of calcined bones which had originally been placed within an urn so imperfectly baked as to have almost become disintegrated, the decay having been accelerated by the atmosphere, eighteen inches of loose stone only covering the deposit. Some flints, fragmentary human bones, and a chip from a stone celt were casually found in the stony part of the mound.

The adjoining field is called Foggy Lees, which may be a corruption of Foggy Low.

Section I Tumuli 1788. On the 15th of March, 1788, a farmer, who occupied the land on Middleton Moor, known as the Garratt Piece, having occasion to burn some lime upon that ground, dug for the purpose into a tumulus [Map] [Garratts Piece Barrow [Map]], or lowe, there situate.

He began his work on the outer edge of the barrow, clearing it away as he proceeded, to the level of the natural surface. On reaching the centre, he found, lying immediately under the usual depression of the summit of the barrow, and placed upon the level of the ground, a skeleton, whose extremities were towards the east and west; near the point of the shoulder was a very extraordinary ornament of copper neatly enamelled with various colours, red being the most predominant; it is circular, and has a hook in the form of a serpent's head, probably for suspension. In addition to this, part of another ornament of similar workmanship; part of the iron umbo of a shield and a shallow basin of thin brass, much broken and crushed, were found abont the same place. (For a similar basin see Archæologia, vol. xviii, page 80.) The design visible upon the circular and enamelled ornament is precisely similar to an illuminated capital Q in the Saxon manuscript entitled, 'Textus Sancti Cuthberti,' a production of the seventh century, formerly preserved in the cathedral of Durham, but now in the Cottonian library, (Nero, D. 4.) There is a good engraving of it in Astle's 'Origin of Writing,' plate 14, a. This interesting barrow was reopened by Mr. William Bateman (age 1), on the 19th of June, 1826, but was found to have been entirely rifled on the occasion above described.

Archaeologia Volume 9 Section XVII. Discoveries in opening a Tumulus [Garratts Piece Barrow [Map]] in Derbyshire. In a Letter from the Rev. Mr. Pegge (age 83) to the Rev. John Brand, Secretary. Read May 8, 1788.

Section I Tumuli 1825. The only barrow yet discovered in a low situation in the neighbourhood of Middleton is placed in a meadow called Larks Lowe [Map], and near the rivulet called the Bradford; this tumulus was opened on the 20th of May 1825 when the cist was found to be constructed of large flat stones placed edge-ways with similar ones serving for the cover; it contained the decayed fragments of a human skeleton. On the eastern side of the barrow was found an urn of coarse earthy full of calcined bones and dry mould, the top protected by a flat piece of lime-stone, upon which was placed a small, shallow, earthen vessel very firmly baked, (of the kind denominated by Sir Richard Hoare (age 66) "incense cups"), a pin of bronze, two and a quarter inches long; several animal teeth and bones, amongst them a horse's tooth, a circular pebble, and a stone of peculiar shape; the large urn was of so friable a nature, that it probably had no other baking than what it received in the funeral fire, from this cause it was found impracticable to preserve it entire. June 19, 1826, it was thought advisable to reopen the very interesting barrow [Map] on Garratt Piece, Middleton, which was opened by Dr. Pegge in 1788, and described in the Archæologia, vol. ix, page 189; in it were found animal bones, one of which was calcined; a portion of the lower branch of an antler of the red deer, six inches in length, which had been tooled at the root by a sharp instrument; also some rats' bones. (See a subsequent examination of this barrow.)

Thomas Bateman 1846. Upon reopening the remains of a barrow [Garratts Piece Barrow [Map]] upon Middleton Moor, explored by Dr. Pegge in 1788, on the 5th of October, 1847, a few small articles were recovered which indicate that the tumulus existed in times long anterior to the deposit of the very remarkable Saxon antiquities therein discovered and described in the earlier part of this section and which farther tend to strengthen the idea that in this part of the country there exist no barrows purely of Saxon origin. The articles with, the exception only of some fragments of light-coloured kiln-baked pottery, are of Celtic manufacture and usage, consisting of pieces of stags' horns, instruments of flint, amongst which was one of elongated shape very neatly chipped; and, lastly, remains of bone instruments, one of the latter presenting a very neat example of the lance-head of that material, being nicely worked into form out of the leg-bone of some small animal. Similar points are seen to some of the arrows brought from New Zealand.

Section I Tumuli 1825. The only barrow yet discovered in a low situation in the neighbourhood of Middleton is placed in a meadow called Larks Lowe [Map], and near the rivulet called the Bradford; this tumulus was opened on the 20th of May 1825 when the cist was found to be constructed of large flat stones placed edge-ways with similar ones serving for the cover; it contained the decayed fragments of a human skeleton. On the eastern side of the barrow was found an urn of coarse earthy full of calcined bones and dry mould, the top protected by a flat piece of lime-stone, upon which was placed a small, shallow, earthen vessel very firmly baked, (of the kind denominated by Sir Richard Hoare (age 66) "incense cups"), a pin of bronze, two and a quarter inches long; several animal teeth and bones, amongst them a horse's tooth, a circular pebble, and a stone of peculiar shape; the large urn was of so friable a nature, that it probably had no other baking than what it received in the funeral fire, from this cause it was found impracticable to preserve it entire. June 19, 1826, it was thought advisable to reopen the very interesting barrow [Map] on Garratt Piece, Middleton, which was opened by Dr. Pegge in 1788, and described in the Archæologia, vol. ix, page 189; in it were found animal bones, one of which was calcined; a portion of the lower branch of an antler of the red deer, six inches in length, which had been tooled at the root by a sharp instrument; also some rats' bones. (See a subsequent examination of this barrow.)

Middleton. On the 24th of October, we opened a large trench in the barrow [Larks Low Barrow [Map]] at Larkslow, near Middleton by Youlgrave, which was first examined by Mr. William Bateman, in 1825, when amongst other things were found a cinerary urn, containing burnt bones, and an "incense cup." It appeared by our excavation, that the centre of the barrow had been surrounded by large masses of chert, within which circle the interment had been deposited. We discovered the calcined bones which had been emptied out of the urn at the former opening, and a few pieces of an unburnt skeleton. From a very careful examination of the former, we find them to consist of the remains of a full-grown person, and an infant, with whom had been calcined a few small instruments of flint, a bone pin, and a tooth of some large animal. It is probable that the critical examination of all deposits of burnt bones would lead to much curious information respecting the statistics of suttee, and infanticide, both which abominations we are unwillingly compelled, by accumulated evidence to believe were practised in Pagan Britain.

John Lubbock 1879. About a quarter of a mile to the west, there is a large conical tumulus, known as Gib Hill [Map], which was connected with Arbor Low by a rampart of earth, which, however, is now very faint and imperfect. Gib Hill was opened: by Mr. Bateman in 1848. He found that it had been raised over four smaller mounds, consisting of hardened clay mixed with wood and charcoal. The central interment consisted of a dolmen, or stone chamber, situated near the top of the mound. It was composed of four massive limestone blocks covered by a fifth, about four feet square by ten inches in thickness. The cist, having fallen in, was removed, and re-erected in the garden at Lomberdale House [Map]. It contained only a small urn, four-and-a-quarter inches in height, a piece of white flint, and burnt human bones. In the earth of the tumulus were found also a flint arrow-head, a fragment of a basaltic celt, a small iron brooch, and another fragment of iron, supposed by Mr. Bateman to have belonged to a later interment, which had been previously disturbed. To the west, is the Roman Road from Buxton, which passes southwards, not far from Kenslow Top [Map] to the great tumulus of Minning Low [Map].

In 1815 Thomas Bateman (age 54) bought Middleton Hall [Map].

Thomas Bateman 1846. On the 7th of December, 1846, a barrow was opened which is situate upon the extremity of a hill-side near Middleton, called Moot Lowe Bank [Map]. There were very slight appearances upon the surface of the ground of anything of the kind, in fact, the sepulchral nature of the place was accidentally discovered by a labourer engaged in quarrying stone in the hillside. On examining the surrounding rock, a false joint, about two feet wide, became apparent, which extended a distance of seven yards in an oblique direction up the side of the hill; this joint had been filled in with stones and soil, amongst which many bones of animals occurred, all of the same description as are usually found in tumuli; near the upper end of the joint was placed a human skeleton doubled up in the usual primitive manner, close to whose head were four or five cows' teeth. Nothing more than these appeared to have been deposited with the body, which was that of an adult male.

Middleton-by-Youlgreave. On the 10th of November we commenced excavating a barrow in a plantation near Kenslow Wood, called Rusden Low [Map], where a skeleton was found by the planters in May 1828. Being situated on a natural rising of the land it had been quite overlooked till the previous day, when it was noticed whilst shooting. The first step was to cut as near the centre as possible, and the result was the discovery of a skeleton, lying on its left side, with the knees drawn up, in a slight depression in the rock which was very near the surface. The lower extremities were quite undisturbed, although the upper part of the body had been much injured at a former period, perhaps by the planters. In the course of the day we found the relics described below, none of which occupied any well-defined position in connection with the skeleton, though they were not far from it. It will be seen that they are of various ages, commencing with a neat spear point of flint burnt white, and a tine of stag's horn, found near the feet of the body; and a flint arrow near where the head should have been. Outside the depression in which the body lay was part of a very neatly made comb, composed of several pieces of bone rivetted between two strong ribs of the same with iron pins: it had been furnished with teeth on both sides, which were nearly all broken away. The blade of a clasp knife of iron, apparently very ancient, as it is completely oxydized through the substance of the metal; and a small brass coin of Constantius Chlorus, reverse Victoriae Laetae Princ Perp.; teeth of animals, and pieces of Romano-British pottery were found throughout the cutting, which, with the comb, knife, and coin have probably been deposited with a much later interment than that which we found.

Smerrill. On the 13th of June, we opened the second barrow [Smerrill Barrow 1 [Map]] on the contrary side of the ravine, a mound about 9 yards across and 2 feet high, surrounded by an irregular circle of large limestones, and showing the grey surfaces of many others that jutted through its grassy covering. We began our cutting on the west side, and continued it to the centre, where, after much labour, we uncovered a large grave of irregular shape, sunk in the rock to the depth of 5 feet; its average dimensions were 8 feet by 6; it was filled with stones, and had upon its stony floor, a coating of stiff clay in which was embedded the skeleton of a tall young man, who lay On his left side with his knees drawn up, and the head in an easterly direction; owing to the wetness of the clay, the bones were in an advanced state of decomposition, having become of the consistency of cheese; the skull was narrowed and otherwise posthumously distorted by the pressure of the overlying mass; and the femur measured 19½ inches, the tibia 16. Behind the pelvis lay a very beautiful drinking cup, 8¾ inches high, the exterior entirely covered with ornament: it lay on its side upon an assemblage of implements, consisting of a bone netting rule or modelling tool, 12 inches long, made from the rib of a large animal (horse or cow), neatly rounded off at each end, and reduced to a regular breadth and thickness throughout; a dagger 4¾ inches long, a spear head 3 inches long, and four other instruments of flint, all whitened by the action of fire. The usual rats' bones were present in this undisturbed and interesting tumulus.

Smerrill. On the 3rd of June, we opened the first [Smerrill Barrow 2 [Map]] of three barrows upon Smerrill Moor, near Middleton-by-Youlgrave, situated on the edge of the hill forming one side of a rocky but waterless valley. It measured about 11 yards across by 3 feet in height, was composed of earth and stones, and exhibited signs of former disturbance in the external appearance of a large stone in the centre, that had been removed from the side of a cist, which we afterwards found to consist of two compartments. The first had been plundered, and its contents were re-interred in confusion: they comprised bones from no fewer than twelve skeletons, of ages varying from infancy to senility, intermixed with a few pieces of calcined bone, charred wood, rats' bones, potsherds, &c., including jaws of two foxes or dogs, and a good spear head of white flint.

The second compartment was made by three large limestones placed on edge, their upper part appearing above the surface of the mound. It contained the skeleton of a female of rather low stature, who had been placed on her left side with the knees drawn up, and the head towards the north-east; a plain flake and a knife of flint lay at the head, and the bones were embedded in earth that had acquired a dark colour, apparently from the decomposition of wood; particles of charcoal, rats' bones, and fragments of earthenware of two sorts, were also present. The skull is remarkably small, and elevated in its contour, the occipital bone being much flattened, possibly by artificial compression in youth; the teeth indicate an age not exceeding 18 or 20 years, and the long bones are slender in proportion to the length; the femur measures 16½ inches.

After 28 Aug 1861 Thomas Bateman (age 39) was buried in unconsecrated ground at his request at Middleton-by-Youlgreave [Map].