44 SOME ANCIENT BRITISH REMAINS. 



carried off, for building the neighbouring stone fences, or 

 for burning into lime. 



There still remains the ruin of a small, old-fashioned kind 

 of limekiln, about 50 yards from the south side of the 

 field. Near this the Ordnance surveyors have inserted the 

 word " Quarries " ; but the only visible sources of stone for 

 burning into lime, with the exception of a very small circu- 

 lar pit, a few yards from the kiln, are the Cairns further up 

 the hillside. The Cairns are all from 15 to 20 yards in 

 diameter ; but two of them which lie close together in the 

 central part of the field are surrounded by a stony area 40 

 yards across; and it is just possible that this area represents 

 the extent of one huge Cairn, and the two aggregations of 

 stones, which I have considered the remains of two, distinct, 

 smaller Cairns, may be merely portions of this supposed 

 larger one. 



About the centre of the western boundary- wall of this 

 large field-enclosure is a gate near the corner of a planta- 

 tion. A few yards north of this gate a slight bank com- 

 mences, and runs in a S.E. direction for 32 yards. It now 

 bends sharply E.N.E. for 36 yards, and then suddenly re- 

 sumes its S.E. course for 60 yards further, where it ends in 

 one of the Cairns. 



This completes the description, so far as observation war- 

 rants me in speaking positively. There are in various places 

 other small ridges, especially amongst the group of bound- 

 ary-banks first mentioned ; but they may be merely natural, 

 and not artificial, irregularities of the surface. On the other 

 hand, if the long grass and bracken were completely re- 

 moved, other features due to human handiwork would very 

 probably be found, and easily traced. Thus, we find that 

 the best time for mapping out the old stone remains on 

 Dartmoor is in March or April, after the dead and dry vege- 



