294 Mr. Tate 07i the Celtic Toion at Greaves Ash. 



though the relics found are not numerous, yet all of them are 

 interesting and some are novel additions to our local antiqui- 

 ties. An account therefore of this Celtic town and of the result 

 of the diggings, may furnish a few instructive materials to 

 the pre-historic annals of the county. 



Greaves Ash, on which the remains of the old town stand, 

 is an elevated platform of somewhat level and rocky ground, 

 on the southern slope of Greenshaw hill. The site has been 

 chosen with judgment ; for although far up among the Cheviot 

 range — in the region of storms and tempests — the situation 

 is tolerably sheltered, being encompassed nearly on all sides 

 by hills, and yet commanding a pretty extensive view over 

 the valley of the Breamish. Greenshaw, and the great crag- 

 crested Dunmore, protect it on the north ; westward is Ritta 

 hill, and not far up the valley are Standrop with its huge 

 fallen blocks of stone, and the loftier and rounder mountain 

 of Iledgehope ; in front are the Alnham moors, sloping up- 

 wards to Shillmoor, with Bleakhope and Hogden further in 

 the distance ; and to the east is the range of Ingram and 

 Reaveley hills, divided by a narrow gorge, through which 

 the Breamish escapes from the mountainous regions. 



This town, or ancient British Oppidum, consists of three 

 principal parts ; and as these are all defended by encircling 

 walls, I shall, to distinguish them, call them the Western 

 Fort, the Eastern Fort, and the Upper Fort. The plan 

 {Plate 4,) shows the arrangement of the whole and the rela- 

 tion of the several parts to each other.* The Western Fort 



(A) is largest, and directly connected with the Eastern Fort 



(B) by enclosures and a rampart (D). The upper Fort (C) 

 is north-eastward from the latter, and is connected with the 

 others by a road and rampier (G). To the whole, which form 

 one assemblage of dwellings and fortifications, I shall apply 

 the term town, or oppidum. Besides these parts, there are 

 on the lower ground south-eastward of the outermost rampart, 

 several old walls, which were very probably coeval Avith the 

 town, and which form enclosures of considerable extent. The 

 town itself is of no great size, but taking the town and en- 

 closures together, we find an area of about 20 acres covered 

 with their ruins. 



All the walls of the town, of the dwellings and enclosures 

 have been built of the porphyry rock of the district ; neither 



* For this accurate plan, I am indebted to my friend, Mr. Wm, Wighlman, 

 of Wooler. 



