92 



whole area. It is earnestly to be hoped that a sufficient number 

 will be preserved for the examination of future antiquaries and that 

 every record of tliis very remarkable relict of a bygone population 

 may not be entirely effaced. The party proceeded to the examin. 

 ation of the portion which remains not far distant from the village 

 of Pen, the modern representative of what may have been the 

 settlement of a large population in prehistoric times. On a cursory 

 glance over the heath where these indentations are found, the 

 visitor would be inclined to believe that he was looking simply into 

 old quarry holes, and such indeed is their first appearance, but closer 

 inspection leads to the belief that there is more form and regularity > 

 and more appearance of design, than in ordinary workings for 

 stone or mineral produce. Many of these pits are perfect circles 

 or elliptical, with a bank surrounding them, some divided into two, 

 some into three compartments, and the bank is not formed of rude 

 masses thrown together at random, but appear to have been 

 regularly formed. If anyone will take the trouble to examine the 

 ancient Eoman lead workings on the Mendip Hills, or the more 

 recent excavations in search of Lapis Calaminaris, h« will find a 

 marked difference between these and the Pen Pits. Very little 

 attention seems to have been given to the contents of these pits 

 during the progi'ess of their destruction, though querns have been 

 found within them, and also torques, and the stones found within 

 the hollows bear marks of fire. They have therefore been regarded 

 as holes made in the process of obtaining stones for querns or 

 hand-mills, as the geological formation yields the kind of stone 

 suited for such a purpose though soft. This may have been the 

 case, but the regularity of formation forbids the idea that they are 

 simply the remains of quarries rather than of primitive dwellings.* 

 It is quite possible that old quarryings may have subsequently been 

 adapted to the purpose of dwellings, and this would account for 

 the regularity of form in many instances. If the same care had 



• These notes have been kindly furnished by Mr. Scartb, and he alone is 

 responsible for the view herein adopted.— i?c^. 



