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The principal exits from the camp are on Midsummer Hill, leading down to 

 the valley on the north, called the Gullet Pass, and on the south-east in the ravine 

 between the two hills, leailing down to the Holly bush Pass. Along this ravine 

 are four tanks or reservoirs having the ancient dams for holding back the water 

 still in existence ; they are supplied by two springs which rise in the camp, the 

 first of these dams also forms part of the rampart. 



On the south side of the camp on HoUybush Hill, the rampart is much higher, 

 and is strengthened by a second one being thrown up inside it. At this point the 

 so-called Earl of Gloucester's ditch, which enters the oamp on the north-east side, 

 running along tlie ditch of the camp on that side, goes off down the hill, over the 

 Hollybush Pass, and runs up the side of Ragged Stone Hill beyond. Of this ditch 

 I shall have more to say further on. 



In the centre of the Hollybush Camp, is a raised mound which has hitherto 

 been looked upon by local archaeologLsts as a " long barrow ; " it was mainly for 

 the purpose of digging into this mound that we met on the 8th September. As 

 soon as I arrived on the spot, it was hardly necessary to look at it twice to con- 

 vince myself that it was no long barrow at all, and, further, that whatever it 

 might have been thrown up for, it was many centuries more recent than the age 

 of the camp. 



Mr. Piper was unable to ascribe to it a high antiquity, as its shape indicated 

 it to be post Roman, but said that it had been suggested that it might have served 

 as the place of interment for the slain in some battles or skirmishes of the middle 

 ages, or even of earlier date, as Cymric tribes are supposed to have held the 

 territory west of the Severn until they were driven over the Wye by Athelstan, in 

 the 10th century ; then, again, it is known that a great battle was fought on the 

 Malvern hills, and this might have been raised over the slain. 



This mound or barrow, which is symmetrical, is situated north and south ; it 

 is 150 feet long by 32 feet broad, and about 3 to 4 feet high, and is contained within 

 a slight trench thrown up inwards. 



The excavation was commenced at the south end, by running a trench north 

 and south, 2 feet wide, and another on the south-east corner, running diagonally, 

 until it joined the first trench, both being about 60 feet long ; these were dug to a 

 depth of about 4 feet, until the surface rock was met with ; the earth thrown out. 



