ANCIENT EARTHWORKS 



A natural hill projecting towards the west, near the junction of 

 two roads of ancient importance, was seized upon as a suitable site 

 for defence. 



Across the promontory was cut a fosse (c), separating the high 

 west end from the rest ; this fosse remains, but partially filled up and 

 spanned by a Tudor bridge. 



Then a great dyke was scored around the steep sides of the high 

 ground, and the material largely thrown outwards, forming a protecting 

 rampart. Either at the same time or probably later, a base-court or 

 bailey was formed on the east of the mound, protected by its own high 

 rampart and deep fosse. 



The fosse of the bailey is discontinued on its north-west at a point 

 where a sheet of water appears to have existed. 



It is noteworthy that in exactly the same relative position at the 

 castle of Canfield, water was provided in abundance if needful. 



At the west end of the earthworks a narrow pass is cut through 

 the outer rampart, the banks being continued outwards for its defence. 

 Down this pass water trickles, probably the overflow of that which 

 supplies the castle well on the height above, and the path here is the 

 only existing original entrance to the works. The terracing of the 

 gardens in front of the mansion long ago destroyed traces of the bailey 

 rampart and fosse on the south, but probably it was there that the main 

 entrance to the castle was placed. 



LATTON. Within the parish of Latton, but close to Harlow 

 station, is a low hill rising about 23 feet above the general level of 

 meadows. It is an open question whether man's handiwork is traceable 

 on this hill, which has been long associated by local tradition with a 

 fort of some sort. 



So long ago as 1821 tradition found voice in the Gentleman's Maga- 

 zine^ and in Archceologia, where very strong walls are said to have been 

 found a few feet below the surface. 



The hill or mound was practically an island in early days, as the 

 waters of the Stort gave a morass-like character to the surrounding 

 valley. 



The opinion that some modifications have been made of the natural 

 form of the hill, that relics of Roman occupation have been found, and 

 that the deep trackway to the hill, coupled with local tradition, points 

 to some defensive work having existed, will be found in the Transactions 

 of the Essex Archaeological Society. 1 



The view that the whole hill is of unmodified natural creation is 

 expressed by Mr. T. V. Holmes, F.G.S. 1 



The riddle must remain unsolved, unless perchance the pick and 

 shovel some day throw light on the matter. 



NAVESTOCK. Early in the eighteenth century Dr. Stukeley, the 

 celebrated antiquary, discovered somewhere on Navestock Common ' 



1 Eitex Arch. Tram. n.s. v. 95 ; viii. 239. * Eitex NaturaRit, ix. 59. 



1 Then waste land, but enclosed and cultivated since 1768. 



295 



