2 A TOPOGRAPHICAL 



Ban* Beacon, now grows upon its summit. Many remains of Druitl- 

 ical temples are still in existence where they were constructed of 

 stone, as at Abery and Stonehenge ; but from the circumstance of 

 those in this county having been formed of wood, they nave long 

 ago perished from time or accident. Barrows or Lows there are 

 many, but whether of British origin or not, cannot now with cer- 

 tainty be ascertained. 



Few or no places of habitation of the Britons, fenced like the 

 works of Caractacus with large stones, have been found in this 

 county, except indeed those at Wrottesley and Wilbrighton may 

 be deemed such ; but there are several fortifications of earth, cast 

 up into high banks, with entrenchments round them, that may be 

 presumed British : and this presumption is strengthened by the 

 testimony of Tacitus, who tells us, that the Iceni chose a place for 

 fight fenced with a bank of earth, having a narrow entrance to 

 keep off the horse: an ancient fortification, situated about a quar- 

 ter of a mile to the westward of Over Stonall, called Castle Old 

 Fort, nearly answers this description, being encompassed with a 

 double trench 160 paces in diameter, between double entrances, and 

 which Plot thinks a British rampart from its ancient name ; and there 

 is no account of any action there of later date. Near Seisdon, on the 

 borders of Shropshire, is Apewood Castle, a very ancient and lofty 

 fortification, situated on a round promontory, and continued for a 

 mile in length : this too, Dr. Plot believes to have been a British 

 work, raised for defence against invaders. To these may be added, 

 the large fortification of earth in Beaudesert Park, which Mr. Pen- 

 nant asserts to be of British origin. 



The great stone standing in a leasow near the Comptons, in the 

 parish of Kinfare, by some called Bolt-stone, by others the Battle- 

 stone, having two chops in the top of it, and measuring above two 

 y ards high and near four yards in circumference, may be numbered 

 amongst the British antiquities ; as likewise the great stone in a 

 field south of Cannock Church : the Britons erecting such monu- 

 ments upon civil as well as religious occasions. Caesar acquaints 

 us that the Britons had iron only in such small quantities, that they 

 made their money of it; and there is reason to believe they often 

 headed their warlike instruments with stone instead of metal, as a 

 dart was found at Leek headed with flint, curiously jagged at the 

 edges, with teeth like a sickle; and flints have likewise been found 

 shaped like arrow-heads: stone axes and hammers, doubtless British, 

 have also been met with on the Wever-hills and on Morredge. 



