74 
extensive line of ramparts, there is in rear thereof, and about the 
centre, a small irregular fort, less than an acre in extent, which 
was doubtless used as a “‘ Place d’armes.” This, like the rest, 
has to be sought in thick woodland, which is so intricate, that 
even with the aid of Mr. Wirrs and the Ordnance Map, it was 
not easy to determine the relation of the fortification to the 
general disposition of the ground. The inner line of rampart, 
where exposed, has been much levelled by cultivation, but it is 
well seen on the eastern flank above Prinknash. 
The party made their way to the May-pole on Cooper’s Hill, 
and for a short time were permitted to enjoy the glorious 
prospect from that point of vantage. From thence the party 
proceeded to the West Tump Barrow, about a mile distant, 
where Mr. Wirrs had had the dry walling exposed, and the 
excavations laid open for examination. This tumulus was the 
subject of one of the last letters written by the lamented 
Professor Rotueston, who, from the first, took a most lively 
interest in it, and pronounced it to be one of the oldest type 
of long barrows yet discovered, being much older than the 
‘chambered barrows of Uley, Nympsfield, and Notgrove. This 
barrow is of the “horned” form, 149 feet in extreme length 
and 76 at its greatest width. It is carefully constructed of 
hand-packed stones, and is surrounded by dry walling, very 
neatly put together. The true entrance was not found at the 
“horned” extremity, where it would naturally be looked for, 
but at a distance of 82 feet from the southern horn, a break 
was found in the exterior line of walling, which proved to be 
the entrance to a sepulchral chamber. Here great quantities 
of human bones were found in a confused mass, but the farther 
the excavators penetrated into the interior, the more perfect 
became the skeletons, till at length, at a distance of 24 feet 
from the outer wall, the trench terminated in a sort of semi- 
circle, around the extremity of which were five flat stones, on 
which, sitting in a contracted position, was the skeleton of a 
young woman, with the remains of a baby in close proximity. 
At this point the trench came to an end, and there were no 
further signs of bones in any direction. Professor Rotueston 
