GO 



be Roman, for it is now well known tbat the Romans made elliptical camps as well 

 as square ones. There were, however, uo authentic Roman monuments similar to 

 this one, and this, therefore, was very doubtful. If not a Roman work, what is 

 it ? He considered it to be Saxon, of the very early period of the Saxons. He 

 believed it to be— not a camp— but the house of a Saxon chitftaiu of great 

 importance, dating probably from about the sixth century. It was the Saxon 

 method to build a wooden house on some elevated position, and make a large 

 iuclosure, protected by a regular vallum and ditch, to defend it from attacks 

 without. The great strength of the inclosure here, would be explained by its 

 being so close on the borders of Wales, and therefore very liable to attacks. 

 Saxou entrenchments show no remains of houses, for the reason that they were 

 built of wood, but if the ground beneath were examined, a foundation of stone 

 might be found. At a former visit he had privately suggested the probability 

 of their existence here, and he had since then heard that Lord Powys' game- 

 keepers, in digging for rabbits, had found some stone foundations in the centre. 

 There would also be a paling on the embankments, and space for the watchman 

 to make his rounds. Time did not permit him to enter further on the subject of 

 fortifications, and he would only add that there were numerous instances of 

 smaller houses built with intrenchments, and he might even say that the repre- 

 sentation existed to-day in the cottage with its paling or garden hedge. 



The time was very short, and no discussion was attempted; if it had 

 been there is no doubt but that very different views would have been elicited— 

 views giving a much higher antiquity to these very remarkable works. The 

 general impression amongst the visitors seemed to be that it was a British 

 encampment of very early date, and possibly one of those made by the army of 

 Caractacus. The broad fact of the frequent existence of such camps in all the 

 districts occupied by the original inhabitants affords in itself a strong probability 

 of their being truly British strongholds. This conclusion is very much 

 strengthened also by the presence of fortifications of a diflPerent construction 

 opposed to them, where we know from history that a series of battles were 

 fought. These latter, moreover, bearing well known characters of their foreign 

 origin. The very great strength of this entrenchment was thought to be due to 

 its outlying position. 



A general move was now made across the trenches to get to the outer 

 edge of the fir trees, that as much of the magnificent view of the surrounding 

 country might be seen as the rain would permit. 



B. Cholmondeley, Esq., President of the Caradoc, introduced the Rev. 

 Wm. Purton to the company, who had very kindly undertaken to give them a 

 description of the leading 



