By J. U. Powell, M.A. 271 



much to Koman influence, and prefer to speak of "a strong 

 under-current of Celtic life " and native vigour, just as Tacitus^ 

 notices the " ingenia " of the native Britons. Certainly the upland 

 districts of the south-west of Britain were prosperous ; and the 

 variety and perfection of the objects found in their settlements in 

 Wiltshire, Dorsetshire, and Berkshire, point to the prosperity of a 

 population more numerous and more advanced than that of the 

 midland district of Oxfordshire. No doubt one reason was because 

 they were nearer to the Continent ; but, as we shall see, there 

 were powerful local influences. 



We may now trace in fuller detail the centres of population in 

 the region of the Wylye Valley, and the lines of communication, 

 and so link the settlements up. Then we may consider whether 

 any statements or arguments of current authorities on early 

 historical questions need to be modified. One warning is 

 necessary. Professor Windle' cautions us against seeing in all 

 the " British villages " of the Ordnance maps habitations of the 

 Eomano-British period, but even if some have to be subtracted 

 from the total, they will not materially affect the general con- 

 clusions. 



If we look at the ancient centres of population in this district, 

 we shall find three. The first, and largest, is on the hills which 

 run from Bidcombe to Groveley. With Bidcombe Hill "the 

 ancient and aerial residence of the Britons," as Hoare calls it, are 

 connected the settlements which are found at the head of the 

 Deverell valley and extend both eastwards along the hills to 

 Stockton, and down the Deverell valley. In this district the 

 population was thick. The broken ground between Pertwood and 

 Keesley, " loca pastorum deserta atque otia dia," to use Lucretius' 

 expression, is covered with traces ; there are two sites on Whiten 

 Hill, south-east of Longbridge Deverell.=* In the group of dwellings 

 on Cold Kitchen there were found fragments of stuccoed walls 

 painted crimson and green. Mr. S. E. Jefifreys, of Eye Hill, was 



' Agricola, ch. 22. 



- Remains of the Prehistoric Age in England, 256. 



» Hoare's Ancient Wiltn ; Stourfon vol., p. 40. 



