A HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE 



The most northerly ditch is first found on Aston Upthorpe Downs, 

 half a mile north of Lowbury Hill Camp, and runs thence west in an 

 undulating line. By Lower Chance Farm it has been ploughed up, 

 and no sign of it can now be seen, though the Ordnance map has pre- 

 served a record of its former course. It crosses the railway at Churn 

 bottom, and here becomes clearly visible running direct to Foxbarrow. 

 For a mile to the north-west its course is very plain, dividing the 

 parishes of Blewbury from East Ilsley, then it takes a sharp turn to the 

 south-west, and disappears for a while. Crossing the boundary of East 

 Hendred parish it is again visible, and can be traced, with a few breaks 

 in its course, across the Downs of East and West Ginge, when it is lost 

 altogether. The fosse is to the south of the vallum, whence it has 

 been argued that it must have been the work of a tribe dwelling to the 

 north. 1 



The next Grim's ditch or dyke is thought to be the same as that 

 traced by Dr. Plot as far as Grove barn on the Oxfordshire side of the 

 Thames. It is still visible from Holeys near the Grotto at Basildon 

 nearly all the way to Wood's Farm, and again farther west to the 

 south of Gould's Farm, and so on with a break to Beche Farm, and 

 for half a mile still to the west. It was formerly traceable still 

 further by Cold-harbour Farm to Compton Cow Down, across Per- 

 borough Castle, and on in the direction of Cheseridge Wood, but little 

 can now be seen of the western portion. It consists of a vallum and 

 fosse, and seems formerly to have been known also by the name of the 

 Devil's Ditch. 3 



There is but little left of the third Grim's ditch or Grimmer's bank 

 as it is more usually called, but traces of it may be seen for two or three 

 miles extending from Aldermaston Park across Padworth Hatch and 

 Ufton Wood, till it ends at Highland or Eyland Farm. It it said, 

 however, that before the commons were enclosed, it extended still 

 further to the east. 3 



On Moulsford Down, to the east of Unhill Wood, are fragments 

 of a ditch known as the Devil's Ditch. Its course is irregular and 

 in some places not clearly defined, but its general trend seems to be 

 from south-east to north-west. It is possible that it is an eastern 

 continuation of the first-mentioned Grim's ditch. 



Another interesting ditch of a different type is that known as ' East 

 Ditch.' This is in reality a ditch, in some places as much as six feet 

 deep, which starts from Hackpen Hill in Childrey parish, crosses the 

 Ridge-way, and runs in the direction of Greendown Farm. For an 

 interval it has been levelled, but is again visible at Crowdown, whence 

 it runs near Hyde Farm towards Bockhampton. Here it is supposed to 

 have crossed the Lambourn, and to have run to Thorn Hill, where it 

 can be very clearly seen. Its further course is uncertain, but it is 



1 Cooper King, Hist. Berks, 59. 



8 Hist, of Newbury and Environs, 225, 233-4. Tram. Newbury Dist. Field Club, iv. 96. 



' Berks Notes and Queries, 49. 



274 



