32 PAPERS, ETC. 
ward by the Saxon invasion in the fifth and sixth centuries, 
when they had in truth become Romanized Britons. 
Whether that line of hill forts extending within sight of 
each other from the mouth of the Avon far into Devon- 
shire (of which chain of communication Neroche forms one 
link), was constructed by the Belg», or by the Loegrian 
tribes as a defence against Belgie usurpation, can perhaps 
never be satisfactorily decided ; but it seems probable that 
it was in some way connected with the mining traffic which 
undoubtedly existed in this country long before the Roman 
invasion, and that they are of very different ages and 
construction, some apparently of the very earliest date, 
others probably as late as the invasion of the Belg«. 
On Worle Hill, for instance, the ramparts are stone walls; 
and the plan of the fortifications (which is, curiously 
enough, almost identical with that of ancient Carthage, as 
described by Niebuhr) is so scientific as to render its 
construction by mere unassisted barbarians hardly credible. 
At Dolebury, though the construction of the walls betokens 
a more advanced knowledge of building, the plan is much 
more simple and less scientific. At Hamdon Hill it may be 
doubted whether the more ancient part of the fort was 
defended by walls at all, though I am myself inclined to 
think it was, and that to some part of it, at least, was 
added an internal breastwork of dry masonry, which I 
have not observed elsewhere. At Castle Neroche, I 
have found no traces of masonry except round what is called 
the beacon; but this is, comparatively speaking, of late date. 
The Romans, after the invasion of Britain, occupied many of 
these hill forts, such as Hamdon Hill, Neroche, Cadbury, 
and others. After them no doubt both Saxons and Danes 
used these strongholds as military stations, when it suited 
their convenience. It requires therefore some experience, 
