In 1821 a stone sphinx was found in the garden of the General Hospital, 'about ten paces from the west wall and about fifty-five paces from the London Road'. Close to it was found a fragment of the tibia of a human leg, bones of oxen, deer, pigs and fowls with Roman pottery. Also, 'Within the bounds of the hospital were dug up at the same time a large quantity of building materials, red and white tiles, coarse and unhewn stones, used probably in foundations, and a great many well-hewn fragments of a stone called swanage, from a place in the Isle of Purbeck'.<1><2><3><4><5>
Oolite figure of a Sphinx 12x25x25" with wings and the body of a lioness, crouching over a human head, hands and bones. The base is flat and the figure must have formed a separate finial on a monumental tomb. <6>