A HISTORY OF ESSEX 



enclosure at one end. Mr. A. R. Goddard in an account of this earth- 

 work 1 calls attention to the fact that the fosse is on the interior side of 

 the enclosed space and the agger beyond it. 2 



ASHELDHAM. Entrenchments for the most part levelled but ap- 

 parently originally of somewhat oval form, enclosing about 16 acres 

 near Asheldham church at the corner of the road to Southminster. 

 From the remains there is not sufficient to justify more than a con- 

 jecture that the works may have been British. 



BILLERICAY : Elunfs Walls. Salmon speaks of the earthworks 

 here as consisting of a ditch and rampart surrounding about 4 acres, 

 one part of which was once separated by ditches within which enclosure 

 there were several artificial mounds, then for the most- part levelled. 

 Since Salmon's time, the ditch, ramparts and mounds have disappeared. 



BILLERICAY (Norsey Wood). General B. R. Branfill has drawn 

 attention to entrenchments surrounding this wood, and to a number of 

 excavations which may have been ancient habitations. 



The protecting bank is reported to be about 5 to 6 feet high, 

 with a ditch outside, completely surrounding the wood of about 195 

 acres area. Towards the southern end are remains of ancient dams 

 where, by the fall in the level, water naturally accumulates. 



It is suggested that the extensive banks surrounding the wood may 

 be due to the great rising of the peasants in the time of Richard II. 

 when, according to John Stow the historian, * a new multitude at 

 Byllerica ' seem to have 'fortified themselves with ditches and carriages.' 



BIRCH. * Birch Castle,' as it is called, is a small much-destroyed 

 enclosure, partly protected by a rampart and trench. Morant said it was 

 connected with the earthworks on Lexden Heath, but there is no trace 

 of the connection to be found at the present day. 3 



BIRDBROOK. At Watsoe Bridge the ancient road from Colchester 

 to Cambridge crosses a stream which flows into the Stour from the 

 south ; here was situated an earthwork, probably of Roman origin. 



Few traces remain, there are deep depressions here and there which 

 may indicate the line of the fosse, and there is a rectangular corner, but 

 the plough has left little to mark the spot. Thomas Walford, in a 

 communication published by the Society of Antiquaries in 1801, shows 

 the camp or station, but even in his day all that remained to be recorded 

 was a part of the west vallum, that ' at the north-west end was taken 

 down in January, 1793.' 



Many Roman coins were discovered near by, and the site of a 

 cemetery was found. Morant refers to the spot (under Bumpsted Steple) 

 and thinks a tower of some sort stood here. 



Wright suggests that there had been a camp on the summit of 

 Bailey Hill, Birdbrook parish, but his evidence is not satisfactory. 



BRAINTREE. An embankment with fosse stands on the south side 



1 Trans. Essex Arch. Sot. vii. 349. * A plan of the work appeared in Archtfohgia, xxv. 3. 



8 It should be recorded that a field adjoining the enclosure is locally known by the suggestive name 

 ' the bailey.' 



284 



