216 



No. 35. — Eanburj (Plate II, fig. 17,) is situate four miles east 

 of Cirencester, and stands on a slight elevation. It has an 

 irregular form, and the earthworks vary much in different parts, 

 being in some places very strong and having a wide ditch, and 

 as much as thirteen feet from the bottom of the ditch to the top 

 of the mound, whilst in other parts there is no mound and only 

 a slight ditch. 



No. 36. — As shown on Plate II, fig. 1, the southern point of 

 Stinchcombe Hill, known as Drakestone, is cut off by a series 

 of mounds and ditches, a section of which is given, (Plate III, 

 fig. 29.) This fortified point has been considered to have been 

 a signaling station, by which communication was kept up 

 between the neighbouring Camps of Uley Bury and Westridge. 

 Its commanding situation, embracing a view of so great an 

 extent of the country on both sides the Severn, may have led to 

 its use as a Beacon station at various times, but I think its 

 original use was for a different purpose than either of these, for 

 along the southern edges of the adjoining plateau, on the top of 

 the slope of the escarpment (marked a and b on the plan) are 

 a series of oval pits — there are 17 in this position (at a) on 

 Drakestone, and beyond the spur of the hill which runs out 

 towards the south-east there are (at b) 14 more. These 31 

 pits vary in length from eight to 14 feet, and have little depth, 

 but the pit farthest from Drakestone is larger and deeper, being 

 25 feet in length and five feet in depth ; this is situate just 

 above a gulley which runs down the hill-side, and is known as 

 " Stancombe Throat." I have only observed one pit-dwelling 

 on the plateau of Stinchcombe Hill. The position of the 32 pits 

 at the southern edge and just under the escarpment, appears 

 to have been chosen to secure protection from westerly and 

 northerly winds. The large pit, placed at a point where an 

 approach from the valley might be made with the greatest 

 secrecy, may have served as a guard or watch-pit, and is similar 

 in character to some large and deep pits found on the outskirts 

 of the assemblage of pit-dwellings on Minchinhampton Common 

 and on Westridge Hill. The fortified point of Drakestone may 

 have served as a Eefuge to this settlement of pit-dwellers when 



