64 BINDON HILL, OR THE SWINES-BACK. 



southern brow is, ho *vover, apparently destitute of artificial works, 

 but the hill-side is here also very high throughout, and even steeper 

 than the north side. It is evident that the artificial fortification 

 was entirely concerned with inland dangers, such as the approach 

 by the Frome valley of an enemy who had lauded at "Wareham. 

 The steep southern side has nothing between itself and the 

 sea except a peninsula or wing of land. This wing is 

 completely intercepted, from all other connection with the 

 mainland, by Bindon Hill with its high cliff at each end ; and, 

 although it is so much lower than the hill, it is protected 

 towards the sea by an " iron-bound " coast of craggy cliffs. 

 This lower wing itself is, therefore, a part of the fortified 

 inclosure. 



It may be worth while to note that the highest part of this 

 wing is the south-east angle, where a coastguard signal over- 

 looks a notorious smugglers' landing place, called "Bacon- 

 cove" (i.e., beacon), with their cavern and rude quay wall. 

 Dividing this highest angle from the rest of the wing is still to 

 be seen a very considerable rampart, confronting the southern 

 steep of the Swines-Back. Can this be accepted in support of 

 the suggestion in " The Welsh in Dorset" (p. 92) that, while 

 Cynegils, or Cwichelm, attacked the Britons from the north, the 

 other outflanked them from the south ? 



About the middle of the north side the ancient great 

 entrance is very perfect, flanked by returns of the outer 

 rampart, with considerable extension of them inwards 

 on each side. This is near where the present oblique 

 roadway ascending from the east enters, but not coinci- 

 dent with it. The ancient roadway appears to have imme- 

 diately passed for some distance westward, close under the 

 great outer rampart, and then to have descended in a bend ; for 

 near the foot of the hill there is another trace of it trending 

 eastward. This is quite a dift'erent line from that of the present 

 cartway. 



Under the western end of the hill a beautiful and most abun- 

 dant spring issues from the gruvt'l whicli inulcriii s the ilialk. 



