224 Anniversary Address. 



On the Thrunton Crags, the Falcons some time ago built 

 their nests and brought forth their young; but they have 

 been driven from their home by the incessant persecutions of 

 gamekeepers, who ruthlessly shot them as " vermin." Any 

 nobleman might be proud of having such tenants of his rocks ; 

 and surely the few rabbits or partridges, which might be taken 

 for food, should not be grudged, in order that this noble bird 

 may not altogether disappear from our district. 



Some of the party ascended Callaly Castle Hill, a detached 

 rugged sandstone hill, somewhat conical in form and densely 

 shrouded with wood. The summit, which is an irregular and 

 broken plain of about two acres, is tlie site of an old camp, 

 which like most of our early fortlets is rounded in form, but 

 modified to suit the outline of the ground. The rampiers 

 and ditches are in some parts very distinct, and the height 

 from the bottom of the ditch to the top of the rampier is, on 

 the west side, 20 feet. On the north side the escarpment of 

 the hill is very steep, and there is but one rampier; but there 

 are two on the other sides ; and there is a third at a distance 

 of about one hundred yards down the hill on the west side, 

 whence an attack could most easily be made. The ditch in 

 some parts is cut deeply into the sandstone rock. Two en- 

 trances are traceable nearly opposite to each other, that on 

 the W.S.W. side crosses the deep ditch by means of a cause- 

 way. This fortlet is remarkable, not only for its strong posi- 

 tion and the skilful construction of its entrenchments, but also 

 for the peculiarity of its inner rampier, which in some parts 

 is formed of stones roughly squared, built up, and even bedded 

 with lime ; and in this it differs from most fortlets attribut- 

 able to the ancient British people, for their rampiers are 

 usually made of undressed stones and earth. Probably this, 

 originally a Celtic Camp, was afterwards occupied by another 

 people, who reconstructed with more art the inner wall. The 

 Romans may for a time have occupied it, for one of the Roman 

 roads passes at a short distance. 



Callaly House stands at the base of the hill on low ground 

 on the site of an ancient pele tower ; and it is the subject of 



