166 Agricola's Well at Birrenswark Hill. 



vidence has made those things neither scarce nor dear which 

 are necessary for mankind ... but has diffused abundantly 

 throughout the world those things without which the life of 

 mortals would be uncertain." He remsarks on methods for 

 finding water, its different properties according to the varied 

 nature of the places where found, how it ought to be conducted, 

 and in what manner it should be judged of, inasmuch as it is of 

 infinite importance for the purposes of life, for pleasure, and for 

 daily use. From red sandstone and flinty rocks at the base of 

 mountains copious suppUes of cold and wholesome water may, 

 he avers, be expected. 



Birrenswark rests on old red sandstone formation, and at 

 its base there are two springs — one at the north side, intended 

 apparently for the supply of the tabular top, being situated at the 

 easiest point of approach thereto, and protected by an earthen 

 rampart drawn from the place of ascent ; the other spring lies 

 at the west base of the hill. The most important and interesting 

 source of supply, however, is a fountain in the south camp, 

 known as " Agricola's Well." It rises near the north side of the 

 camp, and about mid-way between the east and west, out of high 

 and dry ground, issuing with considerable force in a stream of 

 the thickness of a man's wrist, and rising perpendicularly to a 

 height of about eighteen inches above the surface, when it turns 

 over like a fountain and falls on the floor. A little artificial 

 conduit serves to carry the water across the camp towards the 

 south rampart, but before reaching the rampart the conduit 

 widens out to a circular basin of considerable size, built of earth 

 and faced internally with a pitching of flat stones. Thence the 

 conduit passes through the rampart, but not in a straight line, a 

 traverse being interposed for the protection of the camp, something 

 after the manner employed for the protection of the gateways, 

 round which the water passes to the exterior. It is an interesting 

 question whether the fountain issues from a natural crevice in the 

 rock, or from an artificial bore constituting what has come later 

 to be called an artesian well. In either case this glorious foun- 

 tain has with ceaseless energy poured out its cool and wholes jme 

 stream for nineteen centuries, and will doubtless continue so long 

 as the hills endure. 



Like many other works whose origin is obscured in the dim 

 and distant past, Birrenswark Hill was regarded with something 



