214 PROCEEDINGS COTTESWOLD CLUB 1909 
the hamlet of Stancombe, where there were formerly several quarries, 
was indicated. In the field south-east of Stancombe Park have been 
found the remains of a Roman Villa. 
The walk was then continued to the north-west—to the old 
quarries on the spur above Melksham Court. In the distance were 
seen the remains of the outpost attributed by John Bellows to the 
Romans, and bearing the name of ‘‘ The Drakestone,” which he 
derives from the Celtic, dyrk—a prospect or view. The views from 
this hill are certainly extremely extensive, embracing as they do the 
Vale of Berkeley, the broader reaches of the Severn and the distant 
Forest-of-Dean hills (Plate XIX, fig. 1). But for the haze prevailing 
at the time one would have had an exceedingly fine view. There would 
have been seen the great Vale of Berkeley; and even as it was the tall 
tower erected in memory of Tyndale which tops Nibley Knoll was 
visible’ (Plate XIX, fig. 2); and the site of the battle of Nibley Green. 
This was no fight of national importance, but merely the settlement of a 
purely private quarrel between two nobles, yet it cost the lives of 150 
men. Viscount Lisle, who lived at Wotton, and Earl Berkeley, who 
occupied his castle, were related by the marriage of some members of 
their respective families, and they had involved one of those curious 
family feuds about certain portions of the estate which are not alone 
the failing of the particular age in which they lived. In those days 
the mighty Barons took the law into their own hands, and in 1470 
these two challenged each other to a pitched battle at the head of 
the armed ranks of their respective retainers. The Berkeley won, 
Lord Lisle being among the slain. The victor destroyed Lisle House, 
and at a latter date carried away the roof timbers from the Hall there, 
which solid beams may be seen to-day, roofing the present great 
kitchen of the castle at Berkeley. 
In descending the hill (see Plate XVIII, Fig. 2) the Members 
passed from the Upper Zrigonia-Grit, over the freestones (which are 
well exposed in a long line of abandoned quarries), the Scsswm- and 
Opaliniforme-Beds (which are not visible here), and the Cephalopod- 
Bed. The lower portion of this well-known, fossiliferous deposit, is 
exposed in the bed of the track, and its junction with the rich-yellow 
Cotteswold Sands is plainly visible. 
Close to this place is a gravel-pit which is situated at about the 
500-foot contour-line. It was remarked that it was noteworthy that 
whereas from that point northwards such gravel-beds were not in- 
frequent at all altitudes on the hill-slopes and Superficial Deposits 
were distributed far and wide over the vale-land, from thence south- 
wards to the Avon Valley no such accumulation had attracted 
attention. It opened out an interesting question, to solve which, 
however, more details were required. 
Ample evidence of the Cotteswold. Sands was seen, and it was 
only when nearing the Marlstone platform that the banks of the lane 
1 This tower_is 111 feet high. The foundation-stone was laid on May 2gth, 1863, 
and completed in November, 1866. Its total cost was £1550. 
