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On the Ancient Gamps of Gloucestershire. By G. F. Playne, F.G.S. 

 Bead at Chepstow, May, 1875. 



The rambles of the members of the Cotteswold Club on the 

 occasions of their Field-meetings frequently bring them to one 

 or another of the ancient Camps of Gloucestershire, and inci- 

 dental notices of such Camps are to be met with scattered 

 through the leaves of the Proceedings of the Club. Some of 

 our County Historians also, in their descriptions of the objects 

 of interest contained in various parishes, have noticed many of 

 these ancient earthworks ; but such occasional visits and inci- 

 dental notices fail to give a comprehensive view of this subject. 



In a paper brought before the Club in 1870, " On the Early 

 Occupation of the Cotteswold Hills by Man," I confined my 

 observations almost entirely to a description of the ancient 

 earthworks, and their associated stone implements, as they are 

 found in a small area of 25 square miles in extent, and now 

 desire to extend the subject to the whole county. 



As far as I am aware no writer has treated this subject so as 

 to embrace the Camps of the whole of Gloucestershire ; very 

 much has been written on the subject, but generally only a 

 portion of these works has been brought under review at one 

 time ; by some writers isolated groups have been described, by 

 others chains of Gamps have been traced ; but in such ways 

 many Camps have been unnoticed, whilst undue importance has 

 been given to others. 



The Camps of Gloucestershire are scattered from north to south, 

 and from east to west, but for convenience I will sjjeak of them 

 under the three natural divisions into which our county falls, and 



