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refuges. Probably other Camps of our county had pit-dwellings 

 in their vicinity, the traces of which have been lost by cultiva- 

 tion of the soil on which they stood. That these jiit-dwellings 

 were constructed and occupied by a later race than the Flint- 

 folk is clearly proved by the fact that only one flint implement, 

 and very few flint chij)s, have been met with in the careful 

 examination which has been made of a large number of the pit- 

 dwellings of Minchinhampton Common, Eodborough Hill, and 

 Selsley Hill, and also by the fact that on the surface of Westridge, 

 covered as it is with pit-dwellings, scarcely any flints are found. 

 The flint flakes seen on the section at the top of the quarry on 

 Long Cam Down were probably left on the surface of that hill 

 before the pit-dwellings were made there. 



It is difficult to realize sufficiently the thoroughness of the 

 Roman occupation of Gloucestershire, both in a military sense, 

 and as settlers. Their fortified towns and military roads, and 

 such Camps as Sodbury, Bourton-on-the-Water, and their 

 evident occupation of other Camps, such as Uley Bury and 

 Clifton, attest the former, and their numerous villas and their 

 extensive iron-works in the Forest of Dean confirm the latter. 

 At various times during their long occupancy, when their autho- 

 rity was challenged or their possession disputed, maiiy of the 

 Camps of the county were no doubt occupied by them. 



During the anarchy which prevailed after the departure of 

 the Romans, and during the almost constantly disturbed state 

 of the land for the succeeding six hundred years, in which 

 Briton and Saxon and Dane struggled for the possession of the 

 country, of what value must these strongholds have been, as 

 places of security for residences, or as military posts. 



By speaking of any of our Camps as British, or as Roman, or as 

 Danish, their subsequent use is much lost sight of. Earthworks 

 such as these, once constructed, are ever ready for use, and we 

 may believe that such has been the case with the ancient Camps 

 of Gloucestershire ; even in comparatively recent times some 

 have been occupied as military positions, as in the Civil War 

 Sedbury was by Prince Rupert, and Painswick Camp by King 

 Charles and his army, after his unsuccessful attack on the city 

 of Gloucester. 



