EARLY MAN 



earthworks, which however do not appear to have been of a defensive 

 nature. 



Between Bradwell and Brough may be traced, especially on the slope 

 to Shatton Moor, a line of ditch and rampart known as Grey Ditch. 

 According to Bray and Pilkington 1 it extended to Mam Tor, and was a 

 barrier or defence against the south. Its history and use are unknown, 

 but recently Rev. Thomas Barns, M.A., referred to it as possibly a work 

 connected with the 'Limes Britannicus.' 3 



Cave Remains. Rains Cave, a small cave in the Longcliffe ridge 

 near Brassington, yielded during its excavation under the writer's super- 

 intendence in 18902, many objects of the British period anterior to the 

 Roman occupation. 1 The investigation proved that the cave had been 

 used by men at various times, first as a dwelling-place, probably as far 

 back as the Neolithic age, then as a burial-place, then as a temporary 

 residence, then again as a burial-place. The fragments of the pottery 

 which accompanied the interments were of the ordinary Bronze-age 

 sepulchral type, two of the vessels represented apparently being food 

 vases, hence they served to fix the period when the cave was used for 

 burial purposes. A nearly perfect vessel of similar ware but of very 

 different shape was also found in this cave, but it was not associated 

 with the human remains. It was 8| in. in diameter, had a rounded 

 bottom, a slightly contracted neck, and an out-curved lip, the edge of 

 which was 'milled ' with indented notches. The lower surface was 

 blackened by smoke, from which and from the general form of the 

 vessel it was inferred that it had been used as a stew-pot. This lay at 

 a high level, in which position were also found a turned spindle-whorl of 

 hard shale and several potsherds (hand and wheel-made) all having a late 

 Celtic character, and thus indicating that the cave had been frequented 

 by man during a long period. 



' Thirst-House,' in Deep Dale near Buxton, a cave remarkable for 

 the numerous Romano-British objects which it has yielded to the spade 

 of Mr. Salt and other diggers, is another example of long occupancy. 

 The objects, however, which may reasonably be regarded as of the Neoli- 

 thic and Bronze ages are few and insignificant ; but many of the bronze 

 objects which were more or less associated with the Romano-British bear 

 late Celtic ornamentation, and some of the pottery must certainly be 

 classed under this head. 4 Mr. Salt has also explored several small caves 

 and rock-shelters round that town, and some of the things which he has 

 obtained from them may be of pre-historic age. 



Mr. Rooke Pennington obtained from two small caves in Cave Dale, 

 Castleton, animal remains, associated with rude pottery, flint flakes, jet, a 

 perforated stone hammer, and a bronze axe of peculiar form and alloy, 



1 Present State oj Derbyshire, ii. 403. 



* Trans. N. Staff. Field Club, xxxvi. 102. 



3 Journ. Derb. Arch, and Nat. Hist. Soc. xi. 45, xiv. 228, xv. 161. 



4 Ibid. xvii. 60, and xii. 228, xiii. 194, xvi. 185 ; also Ancient Remains near Buxton. 



I 185 24 



