235 



pedestrians, the ascent by the eastern side is recommended. A wide and deep 

 vallum was crossed before reachinpr the oblong camp situated upon the summit, 

 1200 feet above sea level. The so-called cave of Caractacus is situated upon the 

 west side, overlooking Church Stretton. Here also is collected in a natural 

 hollow the drainage of the rainfall which assures at least a limited supply of 

 water. As seven cities of Greece have all laid claim to the birthplace of Homer, 

 so has Caer Caradoc contested with other localities the historical honour of being 

 the site of the final defeat of Caractacus by the Roman Proprsetor Ostorius 

 Scapula ; amongst these localities may be mentioned : — The Breidden Hills at the 

 north-west base of which the river Severn flows. Cefn Camedd, near Caersws 

 in Montgomeryshire, and the three contiguoue camps of Brandon, Coxwall Knoll, 

 and Caer Caradoc, locally known as Gaer Ditches, near Knighton. That Caer 

 Caradoc, near Stretton, should withdraw all claim is evident to any student of 

 the account of the battle referred to in the "Annals of Tacitus," Book xii., 

 p. 32, 33, seq. which has been so clearly elucidated in the paper by the Rev. 

 C. Burrough (see Transactions for June 29th, 1882, p. 182, ct seq). The existence 

 of the old Roman road, "The Portway," running in a north-easterly direction 

 along the crest of the Longmynds, of the many castle rings and tumuli in the 

 neighbourhood, and the discovery, as reported by Dr. Griffith H. Griffiths, of 

 cairns and relics indicating that cremation was employed with other rites of 

 ancient sepulture, jDrove a very early occupation of this locality, which render it 

 worthy of a deeper research and excavations than have been expended uiwn it. 



When the whole of the party had assembled within the intrenchment of 

 Caer Caradoc the business of the Club was transacted, which consisted in 

 the election of the following five members : — Rev. J. O. Bevan, F.G.S., 

 F.R. Met. Soc, &c , Rev. Willis F. A. Lambert, F.L.S., F.R.G.S., Dr. 

 Oswald Lane, Messrs. Edward G Robinson, and Thomas Meadows, J. P., and 

 the proposal for election of the Eev. J. Dunn, Vicar of Much !Marcle, and 

 Mr. G. Cresswell, J. P., of Stretton Sugwas. Upon the conclusion of this 

 business, the Eev. J. D. La Touche read a short paper by Professor Lapworth, 

 LL.D., F.R.S., F.G.S., upim the geology of the district. The introduction of 

 the Ordovician system, the " Age of Fire " of the Proterozoic ])eriod, between the 

 Cambrian system below and the Silurian above, of which the Caradoc beds, so 

 called from their considerable development in the immediate proximity of Caer 

 Caradoc, represent the Ujjper Ordovician fossiliferous strata, is clearly described 

 in the excellent "Introductory Text Book of Geology," by D. Page, revised and 

 in great part rewritten by C. Lapworth, in its twelfth edition, dated 1888, 

 published by William Blackwood and Sons, to be purchased in this period of 

 "franchise" of books for 3s. 6d. After having read Professor Lapworth 's jjaper, 

 the Rev. J. D. La Touche exhibited a very good specimen of Amygdaloid Basalt, 

 picked up upon the ascent of the hill, affording evidence of the intense and 

 extensive volcanic agencies which had once been in operation under our feet. He 

 explained the compositit)n of the whole of the Caradoc Hill as being of the most 

 ancient rock — Archaean — divided by Sir William Logan in America into Lauren- 

 tian and Huronian. He took his hearers gradually through the soliJifed Magma 



