On the Excavations at Rotherley, Woodcuts, and Bokerly Dyke. 311 
the same people, though perhaps at an earlier date. More than 
this cannot at the present time be affirmed with confidence. It 
would be desirable to excavate on Blagdon Hill, especially at the 
point where the branch line (also called on the Ordnance Map 
“ Bokerly Dyke”) joins it, or perhaps only cuts across it. One 
point, before leaving the dyke, I may notice, viz., that the irregu- 
larity of its line, which has been commented upon by previous 
writers, may, perhaps, be owing to the intermittent renewal of the 
old escarp by the construction of a second ditch, at the time that 
the Fore Dyke was made. It was seen that the double ditch was 
not found everywhere. In some places the old escarp may have been 
found steep and firm enough, and then the second ditch would not 
be dug, in others it was found necessary to dig back to secure a hard 
wall of chalk for the defence, and, by this means, irregularities may 
have been produced which were not in the original construction. 
Time forbids me to proceed further with this enquiry for the 
present, and for the same reason many more or less interesting details 
have been omitted, all of which will appear in the third volume of 
the account of my excavations. I trust I have succeeded in con- 
vincing those who have done me the compliment of following me, 
that excavations afford a sure and effectual means of ascertaining 
the date, within certain limits, of the most extensive earthworks, 
and that, even when a series of alterations may have taken place in 
them, from time to time, their continuous history may, nevertheless, 
be unravelled by means of the pick and shovel. I had intended 
saying a few words on the prospect which these researches hold out 
of ultimately clearing up the history of Wansdyke, but after having 
taxed your patience to so great an extent I fear that I must postpone 
the consideration of that question until a future occasion,’ 
A diagram and model of the excavations made by mein Wansdyke 
near Shepherds Shore was exhibited. 
The address was illustrated by thirteen diagrams and nine models. 
ee 
1 The excavation of Wansdyke at Brown’s Barn was made after the Meeting 
of the Society at Devizes. It resulted in proving by means of Samian pottery 
found in the rampart that the whole work was Roman, or post-Roman, but as no 
coins were found, its date could not be determined with the same certainty as 
that of Bokerly. The account of it will be given hereafter. 
