ON TH« BRITISH ANTIQUITIES OF WARWICKSHIRE. 179 



secure by artificial means, either by forming, on every accessible 

 side, terraces rising one above another, or by raising banks and 

 sinking trenches ; forming a fortification irregular in shape, and 

 suited to the nature of the ground. 



In this their choice of position and mode of fortification they dif- 

 fered materially from the Romans, who, though they doubtless oc- 

 cupied occasionally some of the ancient British fortresses, threw up 

 their entrenchments and constructed their camps in a more scientific 

 and regular form, according to certain rules, and generally on low 

 and level lands ; depending rather on their discipline and skill than 

 on the natural strength of the place they occupied. 



But as to the ancient lowland towns of the Britons which were 

 not fenced or fortified, the vestiges of most of such have been swept 

 away by the plough, or perhaps, as in the case of some of our an- 

 cient towns and cities, so completely built over as to retain not the 

 slightest indication of their former state and condition. 



It is, then, only by means of repeated observation and research 

 by those local investigators who may take a delight in bringing to 

 view the hidden remains of a former age, aided by those discoveries 

 which time and chance occasionally throw in our way — for we have 

 no historical evidence to guide us in these matters — that we are 

 enabled to trace even in the richest and best cultivated parts, indi- 

 cations which, though faint, are not entirely obliterated, of the 

 settlements anciently occupied by the Celtic aborigines of this 

 island. 



The sites of some of these British settlements which exhibit no 

 signs of ancient fortifications, and which have not hitherto been 

 noticed, I have discovered in that part of the county with which I 

 am best acquainted, namely, the district about Rugby, and I doubt 

 not but that more might, also, on close investigation, be found in 

 other parts of the county. 



At Cestersover, in the parish of Monkskirby, from the etymology 

 of which we are led to expect Roman remains, traces of a Roman- 

 British settlement, perhaps of a late era, are apparent, from the 

 irregularities of the surface and richness of the soil, and the occa- 

 sional disclosure of pavements and causeways, marks of fire, and 

 other signs of ancient occupancy ; a number of Roman-British 

 relics were also, a few years ago, brought to light, when the burial- 

 place of this settlement was disturbed. The situation of this settle- 

 ment is within half a mile of the Wattling-street road, and lies on 

 the south side of some rising ground, the base of which is washed 

 by the river Swift. 



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