A HISTORY OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 



served as a defence for the outbuildings and cattle. The discovery 6 of 

 fragments of Roman pottery and remains of buildings actually inside this 

 square inclosure rather confirms this view, and, although suggesting occupation 

 of the spot during the Roman period, by no means precludes the possibility 

 of an earlier or a later origin. To the east there are some minor works 

 which may have been field inclosures. One of them is broken, giving 

 access to a pond, doubtless for the benefit of cattle. 



Whatever may have been the condition of the square inclosure in 

 pre-historic and in Roman times, it is known that in much later days a 

 moated house was built upon the site, and early in the nineteenth century 

 large quantities of building material, flints, &c., were carted away. The 

 whole place has been much obscured and damaged by a dense growth of 

 forest trees. 



Other remains of miscellaneous earthworks which may be mentioned 

 are (i) the defensive works of Bolbeck Castle at Whitchurch ; (2) works at 

 Brill near the church ; (3) works at Ivinghoe and Pitstone Hills ; and (4) 

 works near Great Kimble Church. 



There is a roughly square entrenchment, called Grove Bank, 2j miles 

 north-east of Chesham. At its north-w r est are some traces of walling, as if 

 intended for a castle, but now levelled. 



At Oving there is a circular camp, and at Medmenham there are two 

 works, viz. Danesditch and States Farm Camp. 



GRIMES DYKE. There are several variations in the popular name of this 

 important earthwork ; Grymes, Grymer's, or Grim's Dyke or Ditch being 

 amongst the most common. Of the great antiquity of the work there can be 

 no doubt. It is mentioned in a charter of the time of Henry III, and the 

 important place it occupies in local folk-lore is sufficient indication, one may 

 imagine, of its very early historic, or even pre-historic, antiquity. The 

 purpose of the great ditch or dyke is a matter of some uncertainty, but 

 it seems clear that it should be included in this account of the ancient earth- 

 works of Buckinghamshire, through which county it runs. 



Grimes Dyke is, as its name suggests, a ditch of considerable importance. 

 It consists of a fosse and rampart which, in certain more perfect parts, 

 measure about 40 ft. in width and 30 ft. in depth. Its course, which one 

 writer 7 considers to be its main feature, runs through the southern part of 

 Buckinghamshire along the Chiltern Hills. The ditch keeps within the 

 platform of the high ground of the hills. It is by no means easy to follow 

 its exact course, but the writer 8 just referred to, who evidently had an 

 intimate knowledge of the district, points out that it has been traced from 

 Bradenham, whence it runs in bold outline through the woods to Lacey 

 Green, forming the boundary of the parish of Princes Risborough. Thence, 

 turning at an angle, it maintains its conspicuous course by Redland End, 

 through Hampden Park, where, again turning sharply round, it runs near 

 Hampden House, and onwards towards Great Missenden. Crossing the 

 valley the course of the ditch runs near King's Ash, in Wendover parish ; 

 then, passing through woods near St. Leonards, it continues in a now muti- 

 lated state over Wigginton Common, and is met with in full preservation 



6 Rev. W. J. Burgess, Rec. of Bucks, i, 171. 

 'Ibid. 1,25. 8 Op. cit. 



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