THE HILL-FORTRESS CALLED EGGARDUN. 33 



Warne's further statement that Eggardun was extensively 

 populated before it was entrenched, cannot be sustained. It is 

 true that there are two barrows within the enclosure and several 

 on the plateau outside. The disc barrow, which is about 283 

 yards from the fortress, has the unusually large diameter of 

 45 yards. Interrupting the southern portion of its rim is a 

 second barrow, obviously of earlier date than the first, and 

 without encirclement. It is probable that some of these barrows 

 are older than the fortress, especially the two that it includes. 

 But the distribution of the pit-dwellings is decisive against 

 Warne's view. 



There are three areas to be considered : first, the open down 

 to the east ; second, the fortress itself which encloses 20 acres ; 

 and third, the extension of the spur beyond it to the west. In 

 the first area, 350 yards eastward from the camp, is a large 

 circular hollow that was doubtless a chalk pit. It slopes 

 south, and is about 40 feet in diameter and 6 feet in depth. 

 In the third area, on the tip of the spur, is the small hollow 

 that may have been used by the warden of beacon fires. But 

 in neither of these two areas can a single pit-dwelling be 

 found. 



Within the camp, on the contrary, the pit-dwellings are no 

 fewer than 123. They occur in no distinct order, but, generally 

 speaking, they are nearer the circumference of the enclosure 

 than its centre, and are much more numerous in its southern 

 than in its northern portion. No pit is cut through by the walls 

 of the camp. Indeed there is no pit near to and none between 

 them. In some instances two pits are adjacent, but they 

 do not communicate, and their proximity does riot seem to be 

 part of any plan. There is at least one example of a triple 

 pit.* 



* There are only two circular hollows within the modern "octagon," but 

 others may have been obliterated by the plough when trees were planted 

 there. 



