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opposite hill, Hampton Down, was a well known encampment, and 
through it the Fosse road originally passed. These heights were 
connected by the Vallum of the Wansdyke, and as I believe were 
connected also by a ford across the Avon. Here then we stand 
on the northern Headland, or angle, as it were of the British 
Kingdom which still existed for many years after the conquest of 
Bath independent of the Saxons, and the Forest formed a protec- 
tion belt all along the eastern frontier as far as the New Forest. 
The Saxons do not appear to have occupied Bath after the battle 
of Dyrham, but allowed it to remain a desolate ruin and wilder- 
ness for at least a hundred years, but their earthworks in Dr. 
Guest’s opinion may be traced on the opposite hill by Ditteridge, 
or Ditch Hidge ; the vailey of the Weaver being a sort of neutral 
ground. 
Dr. Guest will not allow us to claim the still higher historical 
antiquity of the Kings Down as being the scene of the discomfiture 
of the Saxons after the battle of Mount Badon, but the situation 
agrees with the Romance, the fortified post of Hampton Camp, 
the ford and meadows between, and then the Kings Down. But 
this conjecture must remain among the mists that envelope the 
crests of the ancient hills here as elsewhere in England. 
Under the ridge, where stands Wade Browne’s Tower, all the 
way from Ashley Wood have been stone quarries, which were 
worked out shortly before the time of the inclosure of the common. 
The stone, though in a narrow thin bed, was of excellent quality, 
as may be seen in Warleigh House which was built of this stone 
in 1811. The whole of this ridge of down is included in the re- 
creation ground set out under the Inclosure Act, and affords the 
most charming and extensive views. About a mile from Ashley 
Wood we reach the Bradford road near the Dry Arch, as it is called. 
Just at the point of junction between the common and the road 
the Bathford Revels were held till about 50 years ago, when, 
owing to the free fights that took place, the Magistrates stopped 
the Revels. They were held a week before Palm Sunday, and 
