ANCIENT EARTHWORKS 



The student of the earthworks of a county, or larger tract of country, 

 who attempts anything in the way of classification finds his efforts beset with 

 considerable difficulties. The present form of the ramparts and fosses is a 

 matter which causes little, if any, trouble, and the plans published in the 

 maps of the Ordnance Survey (25 in. to the mile) will be found generally 

 sufficient. 



The chief difficulties he encounters are : (i) in ascertaining the respec- 

 tive ages or periods of the works ; and (2) in discovering to what extent the 

 earthworks, as originally constructed, have been modified or obliterated. 

 Without something more than an examination of the surface this is often not 

 only difficult, but impossible. Under these circumstances the decision of the 

 Congress of Archaeological Societies to record the remains as they actually 

 exist, without at present attempting to assign them to any particular period, 

 is undoubtedly wise. Certain works, such as regular Roman camps and 

 Norman strongholds, are, of course, sufficiently well marked to be classified. 



The present description of the ancient defensive and other earthworks 

 of Buckinghamshire, which has been written in conformity with this prin- 

 ciple, will be understood, it is hoped, to be by no means a final or complete 

 record of these interesting relics of ancient times. Before any such precise 

 summary can be written it will be necessary to make careful and minute 

 investigations, aided by extensive excavations of the various sites. 



The main divisions of ancient defensive earthworks contemplated in the 

 scheme of the Congress just referred to are as follows : 



A. Fortresses partly inaccessible, by reason of precipices, cliffs, or water, additionally defended 



by banks or walls. 

 B. Fortresses on hill-tops with artificial defences, following the natural line of hill ; or, 



though usually on high ground, less dependent on natural slopes for protection. 

 C. Rectangular or other simple inclosures, including forts and towns of the Romano-British 



period. 



D. Forts consisting only of a mount with encircling ditch or fosse. 

 E. Fortified mounts, either artificial or partly natural, with traces of an attached court or 



bailey, or of two or more such courts. 

 F. Homestead moats, such as abound in some lowland districts, consisting of simple inclosures 



formed into artificial islands by water-moats. 

 G. Inclosures, mostly rectangular, partaking of the form of F, but protected by stronger 



defensive works, ramparted and fossed, and in some instances provided with outworks. 

 H. Ancient village sites protected by walls, ramparts, or fosses. 

 X. Defensive works which fall under none of these headings. 



The ancient defensive earthworks of Buckinghamshire are divisible into 

 several classes, the earliest hill-top fortifications being closely related to the 

 Chiltern Hills, a range of chalk downs which, with the exception of the 



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