116 ANCIENT EARTH-WORKS. 



road just beyond Tregadillett. This ' way ' first takes a winding 

 course to the homestead of Kestle, and then passes on to the 

 western end and entrance to the site. From the ring fence the 

 trackway descends in a rounding sweep to Tankerslake Mill, and 

 then on to Tredidon Lane. Water was one of the chief desiderata 

 in fixing the situation for the pastoral home of our forefathers, 

 and of this they had here an excellent supply, for in addition to 

 Tanker's streamlet, which, until quite recently, formed a portion 

 of the water supply of Launceston, they had the Kensey flowing 

 at the foot of their hill. 



The earthen surrounding rampart of the St. Thomas Ring 

 encloses a space 370 feet from east to west by 320 feet from north 

 to south, and forms an irregular square with the corners, and the 

 side which overlooks Tredidon Lane, rounded. From three to 

 four hundred persons might have dwelt within it. The present 

 entrance is by a modern gateway on the south side, but the old 

 western opening, 20 feet wide, can be easily discerned. The 

 ditch around outside the rampart averages 8 feet Avide at its base, 

 and both it and the 14 to 18 feet high earth wall are covered 

 with oak coppice and ferns. Towards the west a second 

 embanked enclosure continues for 350 feet as an outwork to 

 protect the entrance (see B on the plan). 



Since writing the above paper, by the kind permission of 

 Miss Gurney, the owner of the property in St. Thomas parish, 

 mentioned in connection with the last described old village site, 

 I have been allowed to make excavations within, and in the 

 neighbourhood of, these earthworks for the Launceston Scientific 

 and Historical Society. The objects found have been sent to 

 Mr. C. H. Read, the keeper of British Antiquitiesat the British 

 Museum, and I append a list of them as named by him. 



1. Two stone spindle whorls, one If inches in diameter, and 

 the other 1 inch in diameter. 



2. Part of a little stone hammer, or mace-head, formed out 

 of a sea pebble, the orifice in which seems to have been made 

 partly by picking and afterwards grinding. These may be 

 classed with late stone period objects. 



3. Apiece of flint apparently fashioned by man; it is of an 

 unusually fine quality very much like chalcedony. 



