182 ON THE BRITISH ANTIQUITIES OF WARWICKSHIRE. 



ders of the famous and extensive forest of Arden, reputed to be the 

 largest in the island, and which extended for many miles ahmg the 

 northern banks of the Avon. Its position was at the projection of 

 a ridge, separated from the high ground beyond it by a small valley 

 or ravine. Through the valley which skirts the ridge on the south 

 flows the Avon, anciently presenting, in all probability^ on that 

 side, an impenetrable morass, and the base of the hill towards the 

 west, at the distance only of a few hundred yards, was washed by 

 the river Swift. The vestigia of this fortress or stronghold do not 

 present that bold appearance often observable in like remains, but 

 are yet sufficiently striking as to shew its general character. It ap- 

 pears, on the north and west, to have been defended by a triple 

 row of rami)arts or banks rising in terraces one above another, and 

 something of the same kind may be perceived on the south ; on the 

 east are indications of a vallum, or rampart, and foss running close 

 to the burial ground of the chapel there ; but these earthworks, 

 like many others of a similar nature, are irregular and, in parts, 

 unconnected. 



On referring to plans and positions of ancient earthworks else- 

 where, such as are known to be British, we frequently find them 

 placed on the point of a hill, projecting into a vale, and backed by 

 a thick wood ; we observe them to be, also, of a capricious form, the 

 works unconnected and irregular, and fortified by a double or triple 

 row of valla or banks rising in terraces : all which characteristics 

 will be found to accord with the peculiarities observable at Brown- 

 sover. 



A road has recently been cut through the most prominent part of 

 this camp, and has destroyed much of its ancient character. In the 

 intersection which then took place, two polished instruments of bone 

 were found, which, however, do not appear to have belonged to the 

 ancient British era, but were rather modelling tools for pottery ; 

 likewise, several fragments of glazed ware, which, I am inclined to 

 think, were neither British or Roman, but of a much later period ; 

 a barbed arrow-head of iron, of the middle ages, and a curious small 

 brass miniature dag or pistol, apparently of the reign of Elizabeth : 

 the discovery of which articles evince this place to have been occu- 

 pied in the sixteenth century. 



In a large field lying adjacent, causeways have occasionally been 

 disturbed, and traces of a trackway may still be discerned ; and in 

 the burial ground of the chapel, ancient British interments, known 

 to be such by the contracted position in which the body was found. 



