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President's whistle was heard, and the visitors soon chistered around him to hear 

 the following paper read by Mr. Wilson, the President of the Malvern Club : 



CAYNHAM CAMP. 



(By a Soldier Associate of the British Archaeological Society.) 



On my last visit to Ludlow you expressed a wish to have my opinion noted 

 down about your very interesting encampment about two miles east of the town, 

 which goes by the name of the Roman camp. Here I differ completely from the 

 public as to this origin of Caynham, and I will give you my reasons. The Romans 

 under Csesar, when first in Britain, 53 years before the Christian era, were very 

 expert in the rules and methods of the art of castrametation, and were equally if 

 not more clever in this respect about 100 years afterwards, which was the time of 

 the final conquest of England. They had experienced in their long continental 

 wars the necessity of constructing their camps in the form of a square as the true 

 way of sound defence, facing the enemy on all its lines and obtaining flank 

 defence (flank fires as we should call them now). This figure, either a perfect 

 square or a parallelogram, has ever since been adopted by modern nations. The 

 camp at Caynham is of the shape of a broad ellipse, and has not the regular 

 outlets to the four points as was always the case in Roman camps. Perhaps the 

 north and south sides being very precipitous these doors or outlets might have 

 been unnecessary, but two would have existed and would have been made in the 

 centre of the faces, and not, as at Caynham, in a corner of the west and east sides 

 or faces. However, here the opening in the east face led into the camp from what 

 was formerly an esplanade, a level land of a triangular shape which might have 

 served for the purpose of assembling, or marketing, or storing for a while pro- 

 visions outward bound or inward due, and some kind of rude path must have led 

 from there to the bottom of the hil). Not the slightest geological or topographical 

 vestige remains to give even the faintest idea of any Roman " via " thereabouts. 

 The opening in the west side of the parapet led to a second camp which adjoined 

 the great one. Its form is that of three sides of a square and was protected on its 

 west side, facing the Ludlow valley by an epaulment or breastwork some 130 

 yards on the brow of the declivity, the only vulnerable point in the whole encamp- 

 ment. My opinion is that this addition was of a later date and was erected to 

 strengthen the former on that side, or for the purpose of securing impedimenta 

 which could be brought up hill. In this square camp there exists a sort of deep 

 cavity which may be the site of a quarry, but perhaps more probably the remains 

 of some well or natural cistern for rain water so much needed by living beings. 

 The great camp is about 400 yards in diameter. Now none of these features 

 belong to Roman genius. All is contrary to their notions of camps. The choice 

 of the position it is true was perfect, and exhibits a shrewd notion of self preserva- 

 tion and defence. Situated on the round summit of a large hill, isolated from 

 higher ground, very steep on every side but one, the access was difficult and the 

 btormings must have been very hard work in those days. The earthen defences 

 or parapets at Caynham are good, and were higher no doubt. They must have 



