92 EXCAVATIONS AT MAUMBURY RINGS. 



that the bottom of the New Ditch at its angle was about 6ins. 

 deeper than the E. termination and about 21 ins. deeper than 

 the other end against the embankment. 



The relics discovered were for the most part XVII. Century. 

 Of course it is quite possible that the modern tea-spoon had 

 worked down to the depth of 5- 7ft. by means of burrowing 

 animals ; on the other hand if it were thrown in with the 

 filling it would indicate that the ditch was still open circa 

 1870 ! The fact that one or two Romano-British shards 

 were found deep is of no importance, as they are frequently 

 found mixed with the soil in the vicinity of a Roman station. 



The ditch can in all probability be dated by the albarello 

 found on the bottom, viz., about the middle of the XVII. 

 Century ; and the great majority of the shards, &c., point 

 to that period. The ditch very likely was hurriedly dug and 

 its use of short duration, and it is quite probable that it was 

 refilled very soon after its original excavation. The solid 

 chalk sides had not the appearance of long exposure to 

 subaerial forces. 



This ditch may have served as a protection against a sudden 

 attack of Roj^alists from the direction of the Weymouth 

 Road, when the Parliamentary troops held Maumbury 

 during the Civil Wars. The excavated material may perhaps 

 have been deposited on the inner side to form a stockade and 

 a bank for musketeers to lie down upon when defending the 

 entrance from the enemy's attack.* 



III. — Human Interment in Cutting XXVII. 



This was the most westerly cutting made outside the N. 

 entrance (see Plan). It was begun with the intention of 



* Major Phillips, R.E., in " Field Fortification," says, " It is 

 generally desirable to close or protect a ' gorge ' of open works with 

 some obstacle, as a guard against surprise. It may be of any nature, 

 provided it keeps an enemy out of the work." 



