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time to make them ; nor would they have been allowed to do so by the Saxons. 



3. There are no signs of warfare in the immediate neighbourhood. 



Mr. H. H. Lines, of Worcester, who has made the plans of Roman and 

 British entrenchments a life study, states that it is highly probable that the 

 British tribes after the departure of the Romans, did not retain the practice of 

 Roman fortification ; with a newly awakened sense of former independence they 

 relapsed into their old Celtic habits of misrule, and were in no condition to throw 

 up such gigantic earthworks as their ancestors had formerly done. They doubt- 

 less occupied their former strongholds, which they found standing, and which 

 still stand to the present day, simply because it would not pay to destroy them, 

 for this is the true secret of their preservation. Mr. Lines is thus of opinion that 

 such a camp as Risbury was not likely to have been formed after the departure of 

 the Romans. 



The more the situation and scientific construction of Risbury Camp are con- 

 sidered with reference to the well-known principles of Roman castrametation, the 

 more clearly does it become evident that it is of Roman origin and design. The 

 arguments in proof of this supposition may be thus briefly stated : — 



1. The situation of the camp is in the valley and close to the Roman road. 



2. Its immediate proximity to the Roman town, situated at Blackwardine, 

 which was apparently unfortified. 



3. Its elaborate construction and remarkable strength, such as it was the 

 pride and glory of the Roman engineers to produce. 



4. Its shape as an irregular parallelogram with rounded corners, but still 

 admitting the Polybian arrangements of the camp. 



5. The great strength of the inner vallum, and possibly its construction with 

 a central wall of stone covered with earth. 



6. The position of this large central vallum within the surrounding foss, and 

 the protection afforded by its high rampart. 



7. The fact of the entrances being cut straight through the foss and ramparts 

 at right angles, as is the case with all Roman camps, of which an example precisely 

 similar to Risbury exists at Brandon ; (and the Roman formation and occupation 

 of Brandon Camp has never been questioned). 



8. The two entrances into the middle of the camp are opposite to each other. 



9. The broad space between the outer embankments admitted also of the 

 proper disposition of the cavalry without the inner camp, which was reserved for 

 infantry. 



10. The size of a Roman camp was always adapted to the number of troops 

 it was required to hold, and this number also regulated the number of entrances. 

 It was unnecessary here, from its size and situation, to make entrances at the 

 ends of the camp. 



11. The position of the camp at Risbury with reference to the Roman 

 occupation of this county is precisely that on which a Roman fortified post would 

 be required. The length of a day's march for Roman soldiers was considered to 

 be 14 miles. It is 14 miles from Magna (Kenchester), the centre of Roman power 

 here; it is 14 miles from Bravinium (Leintvvardine), the second Roman town of 



