310 Mr. Tate on the Celtic Town at Greaves Ash. 



within Brougli-law camp, along with burnt wood at a depth 

 of 2 feet, is considerably oxydised, but doubts may be enter- 

 tained of its belonging to the original occupants of the camp. 

 It is strong and straight, and has an iron handle which how- 

 ever is imperfect ; the blade is 3 1 inches long, but of the 

 handle only three-fourths of an inch remains. Knives much 

 the same in size and shape are not unfrequent in Saxon sepul- 

 chres ; the long iron sword of the warrior was laid on his left 

 side and his knife or dagger on the other. 



In forming conclusions regarding the age of the fortified 

 town at Greaves Ash, and the people by whom it was origin- 

 ally erected, assistance should be taken from researches into 

 similar structures. Facts such as those elicited by our exca- 

 vations may by themselves appear insignificant, but when 

 viewed in connection with more extended observations, they 

 acquire a meaning which enables us to gain glimpses into the 

 history of the past. So little is made known of our early 

 history by ancient writers, that we gladly catch the faintest 

 rays which are reflected from laborious investigations into 

 heaps of stones and ruined walls and houses. Care, however, 

 must be taken to discriminate traces of the original founders 

 from those of subsequent occupants ; for the various tides of 

 population, which have successively rolled over our island, 

 have left more or less marks of their progress ; and in some 

 localities, Celtic, Roman, and Saxon are somewhat mingled 

 together. In the Chesters camp, and at Brough-laAv, there 

 are evidences of secondary occupation ; but in the Oppidum at 

 Greaves Ash there appears no reconstruction in a changed 

 style — no relics to show temporary occupation after the race 

 who founded it had perished — no trace of the Roman con- 

 queror, nor even the influence of Roman ideas in the con- 

 struction of the works. This ruined town, therefore, remains 

 an imperfect, but nevertheless unalloyed relic of one of the 

 early British races. It seems to have been quietly aban- 

 doned, the inhabitants taking with them their household 

 goods, for no perfect utensils have been left ; and it has since 

 not been'occupied^by' another race. 



Similar fortified Oppida are in Cornwall, Devonshire, 

 Somersetshire, and Berwickshire. Carn Brae, one of these 

 places, has been described by Borlase and Sir Gardener Wil- 

 kinson ; its fortifications and hut circles are of the same 

 character as those of Greaves Ash ; it dates backward at least 



