ANCIENT EARTHWORKS 



The great mount, with its fosse nearly perfect, has a stage or terrace on 

 its upper part ; the cap surmounting it appears like a tumulus on the mound 

 proper. At the base it is 816 ft. in circumference, and 426 ft. at the top of 

 an escarpment of 

 71 ft. ; this is sur- 



mounted by a ditch ^''Vvlll '/''/ ''''*' 



and ring of earth --/S\^ '%'-:'- \\ 



and the small 

 mount, which latter 

 is 147 ft. in cir- 

 cumference at the 

 base and 8 ft. per- // ||%| SCALE OF FEET 



pendicular height. \~^ II % ' * 30 



The fosse around 

 the great mount 

 branches off on the 

 east into a sunk road 

 passing into the 

 bailey, and on the 

 same side a pro- 

 jecting platform = = 

 protects this June- ^& 

 tion ; on the west H : 

 side also is a frag- \\ 

 ment of a similar | 

 defence. ^^ 



On the south 

 access to the mount 



Was gained from LAXTON CASTLB. 



the inner court, 



which occupies this side, and is rectangular with an exceedingly strong vallum 

 and fosse on the south, the rampart being strengthened by rough stone 

 walling. At either end of this defence was an entrance ; that on the east into 

 an outer court, that on the west to the exterior of the fortress ; the latter, 

 needing greater protection, has the western fosse around a circular platform, 

 by which the approach is well covered. The works on the east of the court 

 have been mutilated, but appear to have been arranged to command the 

 entrance to the sunk road into the fosse and the entrances to the bailey. 



The outer and larger court encloses a considerable area. The vallum and 

 fosse are fairly perfect on the eastern side ; on the west the vallum has been 

 levelled and the fosse partly choked with earth ; evidence of an oblique 

 entrance is at the middle of this side defended by overlapping entrenchments. 

 On the south portions of the rampart remain, but the works were originally far 

 more extensive on this side ; a paved causeway leads to an ancient well, and 

 yet further south a small circular mount and ditch may be traced. On the 

 high land a few yards east of these works is a small circular mount ; it is well 

 defined and girt round with a shallow ditch. 



On the north of these ancient defences the ground falls rapidly, the 

 mount standing on the brow of the hill. 



37 



