ANCIENT EARTHWORKS 



southern entrenchment is rather better defined — a ditch and the inside ram- 

 part, now used as a pubHc footway, being traceable. The return north by the 

 west is absolutely levelled, and the track is a matter of pure speculation for a 

 quarter of a mile ; then for another quarter of a mile, running due north, is 

 a ditch and outside rampart reduced to 3 or 4 feet in the perpendicular 

 measurements. The remaining distance, rather longer than a quarter of a 

 mile, runs north-north-east to join the northern enclosure as shown on the 

 accompanying plan, and as will be seen by section N— O consists of one ditch 

 and an outer rampart. The greater part of this larger enclosure is under 

 cultivation — hence, no doubt, the levelled condition of the earthworks ; but in 

 their perfect state these entrenchments apparently consisted of one ditch with 

 the ballast thrown on both sides to form two ramparts, the whole, though of 

 no great power, having a total base of 58 feet — hardly sufficient to defend 

 so large a space. 



Daventry : Burnt Walls^ (i mile S.E. of Daventry). — This small 

 defensive earthwork is in a most curious position. First, the spot chosen is 



one specially weak by nature : it lies in a valley 

 with the land north and south-west risincr im- 



% 



5c*Le or fTtT 



• %\ mediately, so that within three-eighths of a mile 

 '^y^ the land at these points is 1 50 feet above the 



^■"•j,, , -^-•"^'''^is^t* enclosure, and commands it. Again, the very 



^^:xs!!if^'^!!'^. c£^^ large stronghold of Borough Hill stands above 

 Burnt Walls, Daventry. Burnt Walls within half a mile, and other forti- 



fications are at no great distance, so that the 

 question arises at what date would such a small and weakly defended position, 

 be of any use .? The entrenchments are not in a good state of preservation, 

 but apparently consisted of a rampart north and south, with perhaps an 

 outside ditch, now obliterated on the south, while on the west is a ditch 

 with the ballast thrown both ways to form two ramparts, making on that 

 side as strong a defence as the entrenchments of the larger enclosure of Borough 

 Hill, which are built on the same method. As the two works may well 

 have been connected in the same scheme of defence we include Burnt Walls 

 in this class. 



Hardingstone : Hunsbury'' (i| miles south-west of Northampton). — 

 This is a small enclosure standing on the highest portion of a hill some 

 370 feet above sea level and 170 feet above the river Nene, ■f^mlii'S^ 



which flows east three-quarters of a mile north-west. The i-^''''"""'"'"'^?f%V* 

 ditch is still in a good state of preservation, but as the ^"^ ■«~'-s"'' •^ 



^^m^ 







subsoil is ironstone and of great demand in the neighbour 



hood, the north portion of the enclosure has been quarried, 



as has also that immediately outside ; hence the rampart 5^%^ a ssj 



upon the inside, formed of the ballast from the ditch, has ''^%f,^'-,„^ V^' 



been for the greater part destroyed. The sides of the ^^'^FSi^* 



hill fall gently, so that the position has no natural defence ; r i ""jj j_^ 



hence, though the defences are of considerable power, ■nn.M 



the 'camp' is of no very great strength ; the earthworks . 'f^"'.;^" »» 



are planted with trees, and the enclosed portion is under Hunsbury. 



the plough. The stronghold has a good command of the neighbourhood 



1 V.C.H. Northanls, i. 196. s Ibid. 14.6. 



399 



