More information : Area centred SE 7895 7195. At the beginning of 1753 an inscribed tombstone was dug up in the Pye Pits, Malton. Soon after its discovery it was in the possession of Mr Percival Luccock of Malton, from whom copies of the inscription were taken, firstly by the Rev. Mr James Borwick, minister of Whitby who sent it to Mr Francis Drake of York, and secondly by Drake himself. The latter which was a direct tracing from the stone shows that the tombstone was narrow, with a pointed head, broken off at the bottom, 15.5" 12.5". D.M AVR.MA CRINVS EX EQ.SINGAV The stone is now lost. Gough's Camden (5) says `Mr Percy Carr, mason, found the inscription, and Mr. Horncastle, apothecary at Malton got it for Dr Swinny' (Percy Carr = Percival Luccock?)
Mr Borwick in his letter to Mr Drake says `many urns, coins, and other remains of antiquity have been found, in and around the Pye Pits'. (1) In York Museum are four embossed bronze studs, probably used as ornaments on a Roman leather tunic or belt. They are probably those formerly in the possession of E D Rooke whose note book (a) dated Dec 26th, 1875 contains the entry `No.24 - Four Roman Bronze Buttons, Pye Pits, Malton, 1875.' Dr Rooke purchased the local collection of Mr George Pycock of Malton in 1861 (10). (1-10) |