Leedes November 23
A few days ago, as some labourers were removing the Earth
from a stone quarry at Yeadon, in the Parish of Guiseley, belonging to
Christopher Hird Esq, they dug up a large Earthenware Urn.
Of curious
workmanship, filled with burnt Bones and Ashes, supposed to have been deposited
there by the Romans when they were Masters of this Island, which is upwards of
1,300 years ago.
Further information by Christine Lovedale
The
Hird family lived in the Lane Head area of Rawdon, there were several
Christopher Hirds, the 3rd of that name built Lane Head House in 1765.
Their
property also included sandstone quarries in the vicinity so it is probable
that the urn was discovered in Rawdon rather than Yeadon.
Philomen Slater in his history "The Ancient Parish of
Guiseley" refers to this discovery and compares the description to a find
made in Halifax by a Mr Watson "The urn is eight inches deep, stands upon
a base four inches in diameter and where there is no moulding is from twenty
one to twenty three inches in circumference".
Slater also states that he
searched museums in York and Leeds in an attempt to find the urn without success.