CALLED CASTLE HILL. 327 
ROBIN HOOD’S CAVE. 
At this ford of the Sankey, there is a cavern, 
in the red rock, which is called Robin Hood’s 
Cave. 
FORM OF CASTLE HILL. 
This barrow is bell-shaped, like those on 
Salisbury Plain; and its cireumference is nearly 
circular. Its circumference, at the bottom, is 
320 feet: at the top, 226 feet; and its height is 
17 feet. See the drawing of Castle hill. 
On the south and west sides of Castle hill, there 
is a large fosse, about 5 feet deep, and 30 feet 
wide: this Fosse appears to have been originally 7 
feet deep, 2 feet of which have been cut in the 
rock; but, on the other sides there is no fosse; for, 
the ground slopes towards the Sankey and the 
Dene. 
The foundation of the barrow has been upon 
the original green sward; and, the Barrow has been 
formed by the earth and rock taken out of the fosse. 
There is a tradition, that Alfred the Great 
was buried here, with a crown of gold, in a silver 
coffin. 
