Field Meetings. 173 



was joined by the Rev. Mr Dick, the minister of the parish, by 

 Mr J>ell of Castle O'er, and Mr Eeattie of Daving-ton. The tenant 

 of the farm on whose g-rouud the camp is situated happened to be 

 from home on business, but both he and Mrs Scott, the pro- 

 prietrix, had kindly offered to give every facility for the investiga- 

 tion. It was found that the ground covered by the camp was 

 almost identical in form and extent with the camp at Birrens 

 recently explored — that is, it was square, or rather rectangidar, in 

 form, not circular or oval, and measured about 500 feet in length 

 by 300 in breadth. But there was this difference, that the surface, 

 instead of being fiat as at Birrens, sloped downwards tov/ards the 

 north or north-east. The rampart could be distinctly traced, and 

 the ditch was said to have been 20 feet wide and 5 feet deep. 

 There was also distinct evidence of a gateway at the south side. 

 The experts present were of opinion that the probability was in 

 favour of its having been a Roman Camp ; but in the absence of 

 any positive evidence, such as would be furnished by excavation, 

 and the discovery of relics of Roman occupation, they hesitated to 

 decide the question absolutely. After tanying here about an hour 

 and a half, the party set out on the return journey by a different 

 route, having been kindly invited by Mr Bell, the proprietor of 

 Castle O'er, to visit a camp on his property. The road taken, so 

 far at least, was that which leads to Langholm by the valley of 

 the White Esk. On the way two Druidical stone circles were 

 pointed out by the driver oii the other side of the river, and at 

 some distance from one another, but time did not permit of their 

 being visited. Castle O'er is a fine residence, beautifully situated 

 in the river valley, and about four miles distant from Eskdalemuir. 

 The camp occupies the summit of a hill in the immediate neighbour- 

 hood of the house, and, unlike that at Raeburnfoot, is oval in form, 

 and estimated to be about six or seven hundred feet in length by 

 two hundred and fifty to three hundred in breadth. On one side 

 there seem to have been three ramparts with corresponding 

 ditches ; but on the other, at the farthest distance from the road, 

 only one, owing apparently to the nature of the ground, which on 

 that side descends more precipitously. This is not supposed to 

 have been a Roman camp, but rather a British. Some authorities 

 speak of it as Saxon, but as no excavations have ever been made, 

 as far as known, the question as to its origin may be regarded as 

 still unsettled. The proprietor pointed out extensive trenches in 



