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near the Old Lodge, under the direction of Mr. Cunnington, of 

 Devizes, and Mr. G. F. Platne. Everyone passing over the 

 hill in this direction must have noticed the earthworks, here 

 of considerable size, and continuous with those crossing the 

 common towards Hampton; and also that there are a large 

 number of mounds more or less elevated, some nearly circular, 

 others of more elongated form ; and that, scattered everywhere 

 over the surface, there are numerous small depressions or pits, 

 with a heap of earth thrown up on one side of them. What 

 these mounds were, and what purpose was served by these curious 

 pit-like depressions, were the questions upon which the club 

 hoped to be able to throw some light, aided by excavations 

 which had been made the previous day. These earthworks 

 have attracted the attention of most local historians, and have 

 been variously interpreted in the histories of Gloucestershire. 

 Rudder speaks of them as " fortifications and rampires thrown 

 up at the time when the Danes ravaged this part of the 

 country." Fosbeooke seems to take it for granted they were 

 Danish ; and Atkins passes them over without notice. Bigland 

 says of these earthworks that they are composed of the rubble 

 stone of the country coated with turf, and extend from Little- 

 worth to Woeful Dane's Bottom. He mentions the theory that 

 they were of Saxon origin, and throws out a hint that they 

 may have been British. These historians seem to have noticed 

 the earthworks, and trenches only, and to have overlooked the 

 mounds and pit-like depressions so numerous on the common, 

 and which may perhaps furnish the best historical clue. It 

 must at once strike the most careless observer that the earth- 

 works themselves could scarcely have been intended for purposes 

 of defence, as they are nowhere sufficiently formidable to have 

 opposed any serious obstacle to the advance of a hostile 

 force, even in the rudest times. Many of the larger mounds 

 on Hampton Common present all the appearance of "long 

 barrows," but when opened, they have as yet yielded little to 

 their explorers. But the curious pit-like depressions, so nume- 

 rous all over the common, tell their story with more exactness. 

 In all of these that were examined, were found bones of animals. 



