Mr. Tate on the Celtic Town at Greaces Ash. 'W^ 



no difficulty for an enemy, by rolling down stones from the 

 hill -top, to drive out the inhabitants of the Fort. I have 

 been informed that camps in other parts of England are 

 exposed to the same danger ; and that even some of the old 

 citadels in Greece are overlooked by neighbouring hills. 

 Such, however, is not the case generally in Northumberland, 

 where we find the Celtic dwellings scattered along the shel- 

 tered hill sides and upland vallies, but on the summit of the 

 hill, near to them, is the strong fortlet for temporary refuge in 

 the time of danger. Such is the case at Yeavering, Humble- 

 heugh, Brough-law, Old Bewick, and Beanley. There is, 

 however, no camp either on Greenshaw or Dunmore. Why 

 then is there this seeming neglect of the defences on the 

 north, and why are there so many and such massive and 

 complicated fortifications on the south, w^hich is naturally 

 the strongest aspect ? The problem m.ay be solved by sup- 

 posing that the land northward belonged to the tribe inhabit- 

 ing Greaves Ash, and that a hostile tribe would scarcely 

 chose to carry on an aggressive w arfare by entering on high, 

 bleak, and stormy mountains ; but that the greatest danger 

 arose from the attacks of rival tribes w'hich inhabited the 

 country to the southward. These arrangements seem to me 

 to countenance the view, that the Celtic camps and fortified 

 towns in this district do not form a combined system of de- 

 fence against a common foe, but that they are the works 

 of independent tribes to protect themselves against the pre- 

 datory or revengeful Avaifare of their neighbours. 



Before indulging further in general views, it will be useful 

 to glance at the other older antiquities in this valley, and to 

 state the results of the excavations w^hich have been made 

 into some of them. 



Within little more than a bow-shot to the south of Greaves 

 Ash, there are camps and hut circles on Meagrim hill on the 

 opposite side of the Breamish. Further down the valley 

 from half a mile to two miles, are several, camps and hut 

 circles scattered over the Hartside hills ; others are on the 

 Reavely grounds, the most remarkable being that on Ewe 

 hill. Opposite to this, with the Bieamish between, is Brough- 

 law, which is crested with a fortlet ; and southward of it, on 

 the slope of the hill, are several entrenchments and hut 

 circles ; and not far from these, on the Prendwick estate, is 

 the Chesters camp. Tumuli or barrow^s, both large and 



