Mr. Tate on the Celtic Toion at Greaves Ash. 297 



some important object, is proved by our finding the same 

 structural peculiarity at Brougli-law ; it may liave been in- 

 tended to give additional strength to walls built of unhewn 

 stones without the aid of lime ; and this might be the more 

 necessary at Greaves Ash, where the ramparts run along the 

 brink of a steep hill. 



Hut-circles and Dwellings. The area enclosed by the 

 inner rampart has been covered by circular-huts, and a few 

 larger enclosures. Foundations of eighteen of these huts are 

 visible ; and there are traces of several more, which are ob- 

 scured by covering masses of stones and earth. 



These hut foundations are for the most part quite circular, 

 their diameters varying from 11 to 27 feet; the usual size is 

 between 16 and 20 feet. Each has a regularly formed en- 

 trance, which generally faces the east or south-east. The 

 walls are built in the same manner as the ramparts — ^blocks 

 of stones are carefully set and fitted into each other, both on 

 the outer and inner face, the space between being filled by 

 smaller stones and earth. 



A few of these hut-circles have been cleared, and a descrip- 

 tion of two of them will more fully show their character. The 

 hut a, Plate 4, of which a view also is given in Plate 7, is 

 20 feet in diameter and perfectly circular. Only one row of 

 large stones remains of the encircling wall, excepting on the 

 south side, where it is 26 inches high, and formed of two and 

 three irregular courses of unhewn stones ; this wall is 30 

 inches in thickness, built like the ramparts, though with 

 smaller stones. The entrance, which is on the south-east, is 

 5 J feet wide and is roughly flagged with flat porphyry 

 stones ; but one row of these flags is laid across the width of 

 the doorway, at a level of 31 inches higher than the others, 

 forming a check to a door, which had opened towards the in- 

 side of the hut ; this provision is not accidental, for we find 

 it in other huts at Greaves Ash, and also at the Chesters. 

 Within the walls of the hut the flagging is continued towards 

 the centre, the distance of 7 feet ; and it is also carried round 

 the sides with a breadth varying from 2 to 4 feet ; and this 

 side portion of the flagging is raised about 3 inches above the 

 general level of the floor. The remaining space about the 

 centre is roughly paved with small stones. 



The hut A, Plate 4, which was also cleared, is one of the 

 largest, being 27 feet in diameter, and has its entrance on the 

 east. The floor was flagged entirely across the hut for the 

 distance of 16 feet from the door, and the western portion 



