Excavations at Raebcrnfoot. 19 



Tlie tongue of projecting land at tlie south also springs from the 

 level of the holm with a steep ascent, and the ground continues 

 rising gently northwards to the centre of the Camp, and falls 

 thence in the same way to the north end, where an abrupt 

 depression isolates the Camp from a hill which begins to rise at 

 the side above it. 



Approximately the altitude above sea level is 650 feet, and 

 although lying low as compared with the surrounding hills, the 

 position of the Camp is a commanding one, from which the 

 valley of the Esk and considerable stretches of hill country, 

 including the approaches of the Camp, are visible. 



The plan is an oblong, but not quite rectangular, for the north- 

 east shoulder is high, and the south end slants downwards 

 towards the west. The chief peculiarity it exhibits is an inner 

 enclosure on the west side, and midway between the north end 

 and the south. It resembles a fort, and this term will for 

 convenience be used in making reference to it. The direction of 

 the major axis of the Camp is N.N.W. 



The fortifications, which consist of earth-works, have suffered 

 greatly by disturbance, but their lines nevertheless are yet mostly 

 ti-aceable. The precipitous natural bank protected the west side. 

 The outer defences on the other three sides wei'e a single rampart 

 and a ditch. The rampart at the north end, owing to the 

 depression of the ground outside, shows an upstanding front. It 

 is well defined along the east side, and, although almost levelled 

 at the south end, its site remains sufficiently distinct. The ditch 

 is still open at the north end, although not of full depth. Along 

 the east side there is now no trace of it, and at the south its site 

 is marked only by a slight depression of the surface and the 

 growth of rushes. 



No indications exist of east or west gateways, but depresisions 

 in the rampart at the north and south mark where the entrances 

 were at these points. 



The defences of tiie central fort seem to have been more 

 elaborate, for there are indications showing that it had been 

 enclosed on three of its sides with a rampart and two ditches, 

 while the fourth side rested on the precipitous west bank, which 

 had probably, as I'egards the fort, been crowiied with an artificial 

 rampart ; of this, however, no very certain trace is left. On the 

 east and partly on the north its rampart and ditches are obli- 



