10 



remarkable entrenchment known as Barbury Camp. From 

 bence a magnificent prospect is obtained extending over Marlboro' 

 Downs as far as Avebury and Marlboro' on the South and East, 

 and including a large part of Wilts, Gloucestershire, and 

 Berkshire on the North and West. 



Barbury Camp is indeed a grand earthwork consisting of a 

 double rampart and foss, the inner vallum being at least 40 feet 

 in height from the bottom of the foss. The work is circular 

 and is probably of British origin, not Eoman — but qiute j)0ssibly, 

 post-Roman. Some portions of the turf within the enclosure 

 had lately been moved, and here some of the party discovered 

 several examples of rude coarse pottery only partially burnt and 

 shewing no signs of the wheel ; with these were associated stones 

 which bore upon the surface evident marks of fire. From this 

 it seems probable their further search might jdeld additional 

 traces of the earlier occupants of this remarkable hill-fort. 



Camden says of Barbury Castle — " This great fortification, the 

 burrows on the adjoining plains, and the similitude of names, 

 seem to point out this place as the scene of the battle in which 

 Cenric, King of the West Saxons, and his son Ceaulin, defeated 

 the Britons, A.D. 556." 



Wednesday, 26th July. — The third Field Meeting was held at 



BEEKELEY, 



where a large number of Members assembled. 



Under the guidance of J. H. Cooke, Esq., the party proceeded 

 at once to the Castle, and remained some time in the Great 

 Hall examining the manuscripts and other documents of interest, 

 which, Mr. Cooke had received permission from Lord Fitz- 

 HARDiNGE to exhibit. Some of the most important were 

 described by Mr. ISTiblett, who read a short paper on them. 

 We especially noticed a magnificently emblazoned " Booh of 

 Arms" dedicated to George, Earl of Berkeley, by " Joannes 

 Covellus" (John Cowell) with the date of 1681; and the 

 Chartidary of 8t. Augustine's Ahhey, Bristol, on vellum, in the 

 original boards. The oldest writing in this book appeared to 



