of stones and earth, and by a deep ditch on the outside. Attached to the principal area, are two outworks, of considerable extent, situated lower on the sides of the hill. Each of these encloses a plain, probably intended for the reception of cattle in times of exigency and retreat; and both are artificially connected by a narrow slip of land, secured by a bank and ditch. The acclivity of the hill, in its approach towards the summit, is guarded by several rude, but formidable, banks and ditches."

The above description is far from disagreeing with the account given of many British fortresses by Tacitus ;t and the whole arrangement of the castrametation, at once rude, bold, and cunning, would appear to be consistent with the character evinced by the ancient Britons in politics and in war. While, in general. eharacteristics, these elevated places of retreat and defence are thus attributable to the Britons, it may be observed that there is not any other people to whom their first construction can be rationally appropriated, although they may, in successive ages, have been used by various hostile parties.

From encampments known to have been constructed by the Romans, Saxons, and Danes, it is evident that these vestiges do not bear any resemblance to their modes of fortification; and thence it may be safely inferred that they were formed only by the hands of those who first used the soil, and who, in the rudeness of an early age of military tacties, sought, and found, security for their families and their herds, on the loftiest points of neighbouring elevations, where nature supplied the conscious deficiences of art.

In addition to other arguments for the British original of these hill fortresses, it must be observed, that within the area of many of them are still remaining the foundations of numerous cells, or

See a more extended notice of this curious fortress, in the Beauties

for Herefordshire, p. 597-599; and in King's Munimenta Antiqua, Vol. I.

1 Annal. lib. XII. sect. 33.

places of habitation,* which are generally circular, or oval, às was usual with the dwellings of the Britons. The mere existence of such relics would appear to prove that the fortresses were intended for the regular accommodation of a tribe, combining both sexes and whole families, rather than for the temporary réception and defence of a band of warriors.

A curious species of earth work, supposed to form a part of the vestigia of civil life amongst the ancient Britons, now claims notice. I allude to the subterraneous pits and caverns which are found near Guildford, in Surrey;† at Royston, in Hertfordshire; near Crayford, in Kent;§ and many other places. These are often descended into by means of a pit, or well, and are sometimes entered on a level, through the side of a hill. Within, they are of a different magnitude and description, some having only one spacious apartment, but they are generally divided into several rooms. Many writers contend that these excavations were made by the Saxons, in imitation of the custom of their German ancestors, as described by Tacitus; but Mr. King, who has bestowed great labour on the consideration of this subject, thus delivers a contrary opinion: "If we consider how much superior the other Saxon modes of fortification appear, it seems much more reasonable to conclude that they were first

formed

* See an instance of these remains in the Beauties for Cornwall, p. 500– 501. It may be here observed, that vestiges of scattered, round, small houses, supposed to be British, occur in several recluse parts of England and Wales. Many of these are found on Dartmoor, in Devonshire, (See Polwhele's Hist. of Devon. p. 142-143; and Beauties for Devon. p. 233

-234.)

+ Beauties for Surrey, p. 257.

Beauties for Herts, p. 181-183; where this excavation is supposed to have been used as an oratory; but, from its mode of construction, Mr. King, in his Munimenta Antiqua, argues that it was originally formed by the Britons, as a hiding place, or as a repository of grain.

§ Beauties for Kent, p. 552–553.-Curious specimens of subterranean works, probably designed for similar purposes, likewise occur in Cornwall. See also Beauties for Essex, p. 484.

formed by the Britons, in conformity to the most ancient usages of mankind. Diodorus Siculus expressly tells us, that the Britons did lay up their corn in subterranean repositories, from whence the ancient people used to take a certain portion every day, and having dried and bruised the grains, made a kind of food thereof, for immediate use,'

Whilst we admit the authority of Diodorus Siculus, and conclude that these caverns were subsequently used as repositories. of corn by the agricultural Britons, it appears probable that they were originally constructed as hiding places in time of war; such a mode of secretion being almost invariably adopted by all nations in the infancy of society, and being, indeed, learned from the wild beasts of prey around them, who evaded the hunter by stealing to deep and gloomy caves.

Thus, the towns, and most durable domestic retreats, of a people in the early rudeness of national manners, are connected with stratagems of war, and are illustrative of their proficiency in the art of fortification. In the instances of their towns, we chiefly, or entirely, find specimens of British intrenchments, and other military works. Their mode of warfare, until they improved their tactics by a communication with the Romans, was of a predatory and decisive character, that rarely allowed time for the formation of incidental fortified encampments.

LINES OF BOUNDARY, AND ROADS.-South Britain is intersected, in many districts, by extensive lines of ditches and adjacent embankments, which are interesting subjects of enquiry, although they have been rarely favoured with antiquarian investigation. Where these are noticed, they are often attributed to the Romans or Saxons; but it would appear that they are frequently ascribed to those successful invaders, in a loose, inconsiderate, manner. The great Dyke which formed for many ages the line of boundary between England and Wales, is recognised by history, and is known to have been constructed by Offa, King E 4

King's Munimenta Antiqua, Vol. I. p. 48.

of

of Mercia; but the dykes and embankments which are not acknowledged by regular history, and possess no name but the fanciful epithet bestowed by neighbouring villagers, are more frequent in the less cultivated parts of the island than is generally supposed, and may be often ascribed to the ancient Britons, on the most secure ground which probable conjecture has to offer.-The line of embanked dyke in Wiltshire, termed Bokerly ditch, "issues from the site of an extensive British towu;"* and Grime's Dyke, in Oxfordshire, is crossed by a Roman road.†

The most stupendous of these ancient boundary lines, is that called Wansdike, which is 80 miles in length, and is still visible for more than three parts of that extent. This deep ditch and lofty vallum, are supposed to have formed the line of demarkation between the Belge and the aboriginal Britons, although afterwards in part adopted by the Anglo-Saxons.

It is supposed that some further vestiges of the early Britons, connected with durable impressions made on the soil for the purposes of civil polity, may be found in the traces of ancient BRI¬ TISH ROADS, or TRACKWAYS, still existing. It may certainly be inferred, without an unwarrantable freedom of conjecture, that the people so familiarly acquainted with the use of chariots, and engaged in commercial pursuits, which rendered necessary a correspondence between the interior parts of the country and the coast, could not be destitute of roads, so carefully amended as to assume a permanent character. That such indeed existed, and were in many instances adopted by the Romans, is uniformly admitted by those antiquaries who unite the labours of local investigation with the erudite researches of the etymologist.

"These

* Beauties for Wilts, p. 224.

+ Beauties for Oxfordshire, p. 13. See, also, the instance of a ditch, "which, towards the middle, has been filled up, for the Icknield Way to pass over it," in the Beauties for Cambridgeshire, p. 159.

+ Vide Beauties for Wilts, p. 718, and Collinson's Introduction to the History and Antiquities of the county of Somerset.

☛ These British roads" (to use the words of a writer, who has attentively examined the subjects on which he treats,)" are so totally distinct from the Roman causeways, which succeeded them, that it is surprising so many persons should confound these works of the rude inhabitants of the island, with those perhaps of the most enlightened military nation that ever appeared in the world; for the British roads were merely driftways, running through the woods, or winding on the sides of the hills, and made only for their petty commerce of cattle and slaves. Unlike the military labours of their successors, they were hardly ever drawn in straight lines; were not regularly attended by tumuli, or barrows; were never raised; and had a peculiar feature, the reason of which is not known, of being divided during their course into several branches, running parallel with the bearing of the original road."* To which it may be added, that they do not lead to Roman towns, or notice such towns, except when placed on the sites of British fortresses.

The course of the British trackways, according to the investigations of the judicious antiquary above quoted, are carefully marked in our map of ancient Britain; and such towns of the Britons, as are known to have stood on those roads, are enumerated in the marginal table of contents, by which the map is accompanied.† It may, however, be desirable to notice briefly, in this place, the presumed course of each known British road, or trackway, in relation to the modern political divisions of country, and the present names of places. By the indulgence of the editor of Richard of Cirencester, I am enabled to do this in the

words

* History of Hertfordshire, p. 8. (from a communication of the Rev. T. Leman.)

In noticing the towns of the Britons, it will be recollected that ninetytwo of their capital towns are commemorated by historians, but the names of only eighty-eight have been preserved.

# Mr. Hatcher, to whom the antiquarian world is greatly indebted for his excellent edition of the Description of Britain, &c. by Richard of Cirences, ter, with " a Commentary on the Itinerary."