26 SOME DEW-PONDS IN DORSET. 



of seven or eight inches. I produce a specimen of this clay, 

 which, at the time it was taken out, was quite damp and soft. 

 I could find no trace of any layer of straw or other non- 

 conducting material, either above or below the course of 

 clay. 



No. 2 



Pond I examined the same day ; this is situate some 

 550 feet above sea level, to the north of the Grimstone clumps. 

 It is of a somewhat similar shape to Pond No. 1, about 36 

 feet square and 6ft. 6in. deep, made with puddled clay, 

 pitched with flint, no trace of straw either above or below 

 the layer of clay being found. The bottom and sides are 

 grown over with herbage, and there is a considerable growth 

 of rushes near the bottom, which alone would account for 

 its not holding water, being situate on the flat high ground ; 

 it had not the gathering surface of No. 1. 



Both these ponds are placed without, though within the 

 immediate vicinity of, the ancient British settlement on 

 Grimstone Down. 



No. 3. 



Another pond of much the same character and shape as 

 the two before mentioned is to be found on Maiden Castle, 

 near the dividing scarp, within the rings. This pond measures 

 51ft. by 48ft., with a probable depth, including the embank- 

 ment, of eight to ten feet. 



Like No. 1, it is practically square on plan, and has a 

 considerable rain-collecting area or watershed, some 15 to 18 

 feet wide, formed by its surrounding embankment, outside 

 and above its flint-pitched or water-containing area. 



Messrs. Hubbard describe this pond as a " dew-pond," 

 and refer to its unusual position " within the rings " a 

 reason for which they say is to be found in the fact that 

 outside the rings a supply of running water was near at hand, 

 in this respect presenting a contrast to Chanctonbury-cum- 

 Cissbury, where these ponds are found outside the rings,. 



