THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 253 



to ancient remains and, however erroneous, were never dispelled till the shovel 

 and pick had been brought to bear upon them. He referred to the Club's 

 explorations of the Epping Forest earthworks as examples of exploration by 

 scientific method which had been instigated by the late Genl. Pitt Rivers. 

 Prof. Meldola further expressed satisfaction that the Society of Antiquaries 

 was carrying on the work of the Archaeological Survey, although he feared 

 that Essex had not much to show so far in this direction. With reference to 

 the occurrence of palaeolithic remains in their county he reminded the meeting 

 that they had been fortunate at the outset of their career in having had among 

 them such a keen observer as their hon. member Mr. Worthington Smith, 

 some of whose earliest contributions to the subject had been published by the 

 Essex Field Club. The President also expressed his great interest in Mr. 

 Read's suggestions with reference to the registration and preservation of the 

 prehistoric remains of the county and he referred to the similar proposals 

 brought by him in 1883 before the Club and the Conference of Delegates of 

 Corresponding Societies at the Southport meeting of the British Association 

 (see Trans. Essex Field Club, vol. iv., p. 116) Coming as these suggestions 

 now did from an archaeologist of such distinction as Mr. Read, he hoped they 

 would bear practical fruit and that the Club would continue the work of 

 scientific exploration of the ancient remains of the county which thev had 

 already commenced under such favourable auspices. There yet remained an 

 immense amount of work to be done in this field, and he expressed the hope 

 that the systematic investigation of the mysterious " Red Hills " to which Mr. 

 Read had alluded would be taken in hand before long. 



Mr. T. V. Holmes thought that they might well be congratulated on Mr 

 Read's valuable address. In illustration of the damage done in former years 

 to ancient earthworks by persons ignorant of the interest attached to them he 

 might mention that Mr. W. Cole and he visited Pictsbury Ramparts, near 

 Colchester, a few days after the occurrence of the Essex Earthquake. The 

 camp appeared on the map of the Geological Survey (48, S.W.) as a complete 

 oval But they found about three quarters completely removed, and only 

 about one fourth (which was within the boundaries of a wood) preserved. 

 The destruction had been done simply as an agricultural improvement, though 

 on meeting the farmer occupying the land, and talking with him about it, they 

 learned that the removal had been a costly piece of work, and scarcely a 

 profitable one. It was described as a pretty spot, the ramparts having once 

 stood about 30 feet high, where, at the time of our visit there was a perfect 

 level. In Greenwich Park, there still remained many low tumuli on the top 

 of the hill between the Observatory buildings and the gate at the top of 

 Crooms Hill. In the year 1844, we learn from Hasted's History of Kent 

 (Part I. Hundred of Blackheath ivitJi additions by Streatfield and Larking, 

 edited by H H. Drake, London, 1886), that the reservoir a few yards south of 

 these barrows was made. Many barrows were destroyed to obtain material 

 for the banks bounding the reservoir before orders were given to stop the 

 destruction, and oblige the constructors of the reservoir to obtain their grave] 

 a few yards farther away. We also learn that these barrows were opened in 

 {he year 1784 by permission of the Surveyor of the Royal Domains and some 

 glass beads, braids of human hair, and patches of woollen cloth found in them. 

 But it also appears that about 70 years before the date of this exploration. 



