Journal of Proceedings. xxvii 



tangular, and at one period he thought that some data might be gained 

 as to the origin of a Camp from an inspection of a tracing of its out- 

 lines. Further experience had dissipated that idea, and without actual 

 exploration it was impossible to decide on the date of the formation of 

 any of these remains. There are certain Camps which from their out- 

 line may be pronounced Roman, and others which may with safety be 

 set down as Norman ; but as the general principles of defence have 

 always been the same, it is not safe in the absence of relics to judge 

 from the external appearance of Camps like these, which have no 

 special peculiarities. 



The result of their day's work was therefore mainly negative ; but 

 the course to be taken in order to settle the question was very clear. 

 They must cut sections through the Ramparts, so as to reach the 

 original basement soil on which the Camps were raised. In his 

 experience he had never known an instance in which this plan had 

 been followed where something had not turned up sufficient to settle 

 the date of the Camp. When you come to the surface line, whatever 

 you find upon that (fragments of pottery, and such things as a knife, 

 spear-head, or a coin) must be of the date of the Camp's erection, 

 or earlier. He would merely make the suggestion that as the Club 

 had been started for the purpose, amongst others, of investigating the 

 Forest, it might be a good way of commencing their proceedings to 

 make such an examination of the Camps. He did not think it need be 

 a very great undertaking, and he thought they would find it satis- 

 factory. At any rate it was the only possible way of settling the 

 interesting problems raised by the existence of these Earthworks. 



Mr. Distant considered that the interest which was attached to these 

 Camps, though a purely archaeological one, still appertained to 

 anthropology. For if, as Professor Huxley had remarked, " Biology 

 included man and all his works," so much the more did Anthropology. 

 The necessity was by the scientific method of excavation to prove 

 whether these Earthworks were Pre-Roman, Roman, or Post-Roman. 

 This was the kind of work that could and should be done by local 

 Societies, and if undertaken by this Club would act as an example 

 to other provincial associations. 



Mr. B. H. Cowper, in an eloquent speech, said that after mature 

 consideration he quite agreed with the views of General Pitt-Rivers, 

 and admitted that the subject was not so simple as he had at first 

 imagined. On the whole, assuming a foundation for the association of 

 Queen Boadicea's name with the locality, he inclined to the opinion 

 that these Camps were the work of the later British, just about the 

 date of St. Paul's preaching. He referred to the accounts of Tacitus 

 and other ancient historians which give colour to the idea that the last 

 struggle of the British took place in Epping Forest. He hoped the 

 Society would take steps to make the proposed explorations of these 



