A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE animal, in the excavations made in the Ribble in 1885 for construction of the Preston Docks. It therefore seems to be distinct from an entirely similar implement described as a Roman spear-head found within three yards of a bronze celt (previously mentioned) in 1 840/ at Cuerdale (Walton-le-Dale) by some men in deepening a ditch, at 4 ft. from the surface. Another spear-head is recorded as found with other bronze implements, socketed celts, etc., in the River Ribble, but the details are wanting.' A finer example is that from Winmarleigh, found with the great looped spear described below. It is of similar general character, but with a regular deep sharpened edge along both sides. It measures 8g in. over all, with a blade of 6 J in., and width ij in. The socket is just over an inch in diameter at the mouth, and as in the former case tapers gradually in straight convergence to the point. It is in excellent preservation. See the photo- graph of Plate V. No. 6, which illustrates this object among its deposit. An interesting socketed spear-head was found at Irlam, near Manchester, in digging the Ship Canal, at a depth of 20 ft., and is now preserved in the War- rington Museum. The blade is small, 3 in. in length, I i in. in width, and the socket for the most part is external to it, the implement measuring over all 5I in. The socket is rimmed at its end, and provided on each side with a prolonged loop for securing to the shaft. Between the loop and the blade on the side are a series of notches (fig. 23). A double looped spear-head is reported to have been found near Leigh,* but the record is deficient. The spear-head from Piethorne, near Rochdale, where it was found at the waterworks, is double- looped in the blade, and though weather-worn is an interesting object. It measures over all 6| in., with Fic. 23.— Spear-Head ^ ^^^^^ 5 in. long and if in. wide across the loops. Looped ON Shaft, FROM Irlam. The socket is Very wide in proportion, measuring Scale, 1 : 2. (Warrington Museum.) i-i^ in. at the mouth. The implement is otherwise ^^^f-shaped, as seen in fig 24, and converges in section uniformly as in the other instances. The great spear-head from Winmarleigh, now in the museum at Warrington, is of similar type, leaf-shaped, with loops in the blade. This weapon surpasses all others of the county not merely for its size and preser- vation but for the fine workmanship and finish of detail. The photograph Plate V. No. 7 shows this splendid specimen with the other implements found on the site. It measures 19J in. over all, with a blade about 16 in. long and k ^"ki^^ T^,.'^^^ ^°°P^ ^^^ symmetrical curves from the socket in the width of the blade. The socket is somewhat slender, being ij in. wide at its mouth, and^U tapers elegantly to the point. A rivet-hole is provided for fixing the This spear-head and that described previously (No. 6) are recorded to have been found, together with the five celts (Nos. 1-5 in Plate V.), in ' a strong, rude, oaken box, with pins of the same, at Winmarleigh near Garstang.' 1 Joun,. Brit. Arch. Ass. viii. 332 3 Mam. Lit. and Phil. Soc. Trans, v. 5 27, No. 6. 3 Ibid. v. 5 3 1 . 236
