of St. Martin's Gate*.-Supposing barrows to have been there, the first question is, whether they belonged to the ancient Britons, to the Romans, or to the Anglo-Saxons; however, it seems most probable they were either ancient British or Anglo-Saxon, since it appears that the usual manner of the Romans was to bury without a tumulust.

The next point to be discussed is the etymology of Lowesmoor. Was it the moor of the barrows, or the moor of a person called Lowe? According to Nash's "History," Vol. i., p. 203, it was spelled Losemore, in the time of Edward I.; and in the 19th "Further Report of the Commissioners for Inquiring concerning Charities" (p. 508), it is stated that in a deed, dated in the second year of Elizabeth, a piece of land, called "The Fort," is described as situated in Windmill Field, near Little Losemore and Great Losemore. In a lease, granted by the Bishop of Worcester in 1668, it is spelled Losemoore; in another lease (1751), Losemore; while a map of Worcester, by John Doharty (1741), has it Lowsemoor; and a map by G. Young (1779), Lowesmere. These are the earliest mentions of the name I have succeeded in discovering, and from them it appears that the etymology is uncertain. In the absence, however, of further evidence, it may reasonably be inferred, from the ancient British localities which surround it, that it owes its designation to the lowes or barrows which it contained.

SAXON PERIOD.

IN connection with this period, there is a most interesting and unique Saxon gold coin of Edward the Confessor, found at Worcester, when the church of St. Clement was being taken down. It belonged to Thomas Henry Spurrier, Esq., of Edgbaston, near Birmingham, now deceased. This coin has been examined by some of the first numismatists in the kingdom, and is declared to

The map in "Boscobel" represents Frog Gate as lying near St. Martin's Gate. Other maps, afterwards published, give Frog Gate, but omit its name. It appears, however, by "Saxton and Speed's Map," that Frogge Gate and Frogge Mill were near the Severn.

+ See Notices of Kempsey and Powick.

46

be genuine. It is said to be the only Saxon gold coin which has been found*. It is in a high state of preservation, and weighs fifty-four grains and a quarter. On the obverse there is a quarter side-face portrait of the king, with a sceptre, and the inscription, EDWERD REX," in Saxon characters. On the reverse, there is the name of the minter, and the place where it was minted, as follows:-"LYFINC ON WÆRINC." This Wærinc is by some supposed to mean Warwick, by others Worcester. (See the woodcuts of the obverse and reverse of the coin here represented.) Dr. Nash, in his "History+," speaking of St.

Clement's Church, says ::-" This church was built by the Saxons after they had fortified the city against the incursions of the Britons. The parish to which it belongs lies on the other side of the river Severn; and there is a monkish tradition, that it was begun to be built on the side of the river where the parish lies, but that angels, by night, took away the stones to the place where it now stands; but the true reason why it was there built, was for its security; that, whatever fate their houses might meet with, their church might be safe from the devastations of their enemies. It has, at the west end of it, the remains of a bulwark, and a gate by it, which openeth upon the Severn, above the bridge, called St. Clement's Gate.'

I give the above extract, because it strongly bears upon the subject. This ancient church was taken down about twenty-five years ago, and rebuilt on the other side of the river. Some portions of the old walls still remain, containing circular arches; these, M. H. Bloxam, Esq., of Rugby, describes as early Norman. It appears, from his work on "Gothic Ecclesiastical Architec

* But see infra.

+ Vol. ii., Appendix, p. 128.

ture," published in 1838, that there are very few specimens of Saxon buildings remaining in the kingdom, and that it is a common mistake to call all erections Saxon which contain circular arches. was early Norman, or rather of the time of Edward the Confessor, when Norman architecture began to be introduced. This view appears to be favoured by the circumstances relative to the finding of the coin above mentioned. Some writers state that the tower of this church, which was united to the city wall, was beaten down by the Cromwellites. In a view of the City, engraved in 1732, for Buck's "Views," the then bridge is represented as abutting close upon the old St. Clement's Church; and in an old map, which probably was a reprint from that in the work called "Boscobel," the bridge and the city wall close to the original

Perhaps, therefore, the whole of this church

tower of the church, together with the bulwark referred to by Dr. Nash, are all represented.

The following notice with respect to this church (of which see

the woodcut) appeared in the "Archæological Journal*:" "Mr. Wright exhibited a drawing of part of the ruins of old St. Clement's Church at Worcester, which was pulled down a few years ago when the new church of St. Clement was built. They have the apparent character of very early Norman work, and the church itself appears to have been an ancient structure. The arches, though in character early Norman, might be of the reign. of Edward the Confessor, when Norman arts and customs were introduced rather largely into England."

But to return to the coin. In the course of the year 1837, several papers appeared in the "Numismatic Quarterly Journal," and "Gentleman's Magazine," respecting it. The principal question appears to have been, whether it really was struck for circulation, or as a kind of medal or curiosity; some numismatists regard it as a piece struck in gold from the die of the penny of Edward the Confessor.

Another point has arisen as to where this coin was minted; and the question is, whether Wærinc means Warwick or Worcester. Green, in his History of the City, and Nash, in his History of the County of Worcester, have given an engraving+ of a coin of Edward the Confessor, with the word Warinc upon it, amongst the Anglo-Saxon and English coins which they say were minted at Worcester. It has been asserted that this word forms the first two syllables of the Saxon name of this city§; on the other hand, it is contended that Warinc means Warwick; a gentleman of that opinion stated, in a letter to me, that Camden, “although a great antiquary, knew but very little about numismatics, and

* Of the British Archæological Association, Vol. i., pp. 261, 262. In the former work, No. 10, Vol. ii., p. 113; and in the latter, No. 4, Vol. i. Intr., p. 91.

Obverse-Eadward Rex. Reverse-Purcl on Wærinc.

§ Vide Camden's "Britannia," Vol. i., p. 173, in explanation of coin, No. 29, in Plate 2, of Saxon coins in that work. The last-mentioned coin is one of Canute and contains the word Verin, which Camden has set down as Worcester: p. 175, of the first volume of that author, has also been cited in proof that Edward the Confessor did coin money in this city.

He gave

frequently assigned coins to the wrong monarchs." some instances to that effect, and added, that "the Saxon names for Worcester are-Wigea, Wihr, Wir, Wiri, Wice, Wiger, Wigr, Wiher, Wihre, Wihri; while the names for Warwick are Wearwi, Warinc, Waerhica, Verinew, Weric, Werin, and Waerinc." This shows that several of the Anglo-Saxon coins which Dr. Nash and Mr. Green have described as minted at Worcester, must have been minted at Warwick*.

Camden says: "The question whether the Saxon kings coined any gold is yet undetermined. The latest controversy on the subject between Mr. Pegge and Mr. North was not so much on the general question, as whether the coins produced by the former were genuine, which Mr. North argued they could not be, on account of the great deficiency in weight."

DANE SKINS.

I must now advert to the very curious fact, that vestiges of human skin might be seen attached to the north doors of Worcester Cathedral as late as forty years ago, when those doors were replaced by new ones. The extraordinary spectacle I myself frequently saw before the doors were removed. The particulars of the case, and of the existence of the doors in the crypt of the cathedral to this day, I mentioned to Albert Way, Esq., who thereupon communicated a very interesting paper upon the subject of "Danes' Skins" to the Archæological Institute (Vide "Journal," Vol. v., pp. 185 to 192). This paper, which he has kindly allowed me to subjoin, is as follows::

* See "Gentleman's Magazine" for November and December 1840, and January 1841, in proof that Warwick was the place of mintage.

+ Vol. i., p. 168.

As to the probability that gold was struck in small quantities in the Anglo-Saxon times, though not from the die of the penny like Mr. Spurrier's piece, see Mr. Akerman's remarks on the Saxon mint, in the Jubilee edition of King Alfred's works.