A HISTORY OF ESSEX 



GRYME'S DYKE AND OTHER RAMPARTS 

 NEAR COLCHESTER 



Gryme's Dyke, which forms the subject of an interesting paper 

 by Dr. H. Laver, F.S.A., 1 is to be traced through the greater portion 

 of its original length, still retaining in parts the rampart with deep 

 fosse on its western side. 



It was about 3! miles long, extending from the Colne on the 

 north to the Roman river on the south, forming a defence to the 

 west of the British oppidum, the side which was unprotected by 

 water. 2 Though there is no positive proof, we are probably safe in 

 assigning a Celtic origin to this work, for as Dr. Laver says : 



There is no recorded instance of anything later than the British period ever 

 having been found under any portion of this dyke, although Roman remains abound 

 on the eastern side, and quite up to it. 



A very large part of what has been destroyed has been levelled during the last 

 forty years ; and, as several observers have during this period sought carefully for relics 

 of the Roman period and never found anything that could be identified with that 

 people, it may fairly be concluded, that this work was raised before they came, 

 especially if it is borne in mind that fragments of pottery of a distinctly British 

 character have been unearthed at various points. 



Though the remains vary in section, Gryme's Dyke consists mainly 

 of a fosse on the west, about 1 2 feet deep, with a rampart on the east, 

 raised some 20 feet above the bottom of the fosse. The work, which 

 otherwise runs north and south, has, at Butcher's Green, a rectangular 

 break j-l throwing the southern portion of the defence more westward ; 

 this curious break may represent the site of a fort on the long line of 

 rampart, but the traces of further work are very indistinct. 



Another line of entrenchment, about a mile in length, extends 

 nearly parallel with Gryme's Dyke on the eastern side of the latter, 

 but is so much destroyed that it is impossible to speculate upon its age 

 or purpose. 



Lexden Park Ramparts which lie still more to the east, extend far 

 beyond the limits of the park on the north and south, being traceable 

 for about two miles from the Bergholt road on the north, passing the 

 ancient moated enclosure (now occupied by Lexden Lodge), across the 

 river Colne, up the slope to Lexden Park, where the rampart is carried 

 along the brow of a steep slope, forming a picture of great beauty in 

 this well-timbered domain, then southward to the old London road. 



For the greater part of its length, this un-named work (which we 

 have called Lexden Park Ramparts) is similar in construction to Gryme's 

 Dyke, but there is no evidence of its age. Dr. H. Laver has admirably 

 summed up all that has been said of it, but commits himself to no 

 theory on the subject. 3 



1 Essex Arch. Soc. Trans, n.s. vi. 1 7. 



2 It should be noted that entrenchments are partly traceable on the south side of the Roman river, 

 suggesting an extension of Gryme's Dyke in that direction. 



3 Essex Arch. Soc. Trans, n.s. viii. 108. 



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