238 RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES IN CORNWALL. 



half a mile from St. Erth Bridge, and If miles from Bosens 

 camp ; but we cannot here enquire into its origin. Leland's 

 account is , — " There was a castel caullid Oarnhangives not far 

 from the bridge. This bridge was made a 200 yeres syns, 

 a f or e, — there was a fery. Ther cam to this place ons, the haven 

 being onbarrid, and syns chokid with tynne workes, good talle 

 shippes." 



But, with this brief note as to the neighbourhood, we must 

 at once treat of the Bosens camp and its relics. 



An interesting inscription, hitherto incorrectly read, and 

 often so quoted, was discovered in it, the true lettering of which 

 has now been ascertained and communicated to me by competent 

 authorities. I am therefore able to make it known. 



Before doing so, I will describe the camp itself. Like 

 Tregaer and other such Eoman works, it is oblong with the 

 corners rounded, and is upon an elevation bounded by streams 

 on three of its four sides. 



From the ramparts there is a commanding view. One 

 writer observes that Cam Brea and other important heights can 

 thence be seen, and that the garrison could easily have main- 

 tained communications over land and sea by signal. 



The enclosure is only half as long and wide as that of 

 Tregaer by Nanstallon, consequently it was occupied probably 

 by not more than a maniple of Eoman troops, "a mere 

 detachment " as Mac Lauchlan says. These may have been 

 stationed in the camp to watch over the district. 



The estate called Bossens, Bosence, &c, on which it stands, 

 is adjacent to Gurlyn, and close at hand are Bosworgy and 

 Kirthen. Two, if not three of these places have derived their 

 names* from the fort, for in Grur and Kir we yet again recognize 

 the oft-occurring Graer or Caer, — war place or camp. 



*Gurlyn, River-fort or camp by the water ; — gaer or caer, camp ; lyn, water. 



Kirthen or Kerton, — camp-lay ; — gaer or caer, camp ; ton, unbroken ground, 

 fallow or pasture land. 



Bosworgy, — Dwelling on the brook, Brook-house ; — bos or bod, abode ; wor, 

 upon ; gy, brook. 



Bosense,— seized or captured dwelling ;— bos or bod, abode ; sengys or senges, 

 taken or held ; but compare also (as an alternative) scians, knowledge ; Bos-scians, 

 house of intelligence or information, detective-station. We may reject, I think, 

 the usually suggested interpretation, — Holy (sans), dwelling ; abode of saints. 



