Mr. Tate on the Celtic Town at Greaves Ash. 313 



though not designed for long continuance. Britain, according 

 to Csesar, abounded in houses nearly like those of Gaul, but 

 of these he gives no description. Strabo, however, informs 

 us,* that the Gauls built their houses of wood, in the form of 

 a circle, with lofty tapering roofs. But that other materials 

 were used in the construction of British houses, we may infer 

 from the account given by Diodorus Siculus, who saysf they 

 are of reeds or for the most part of wood. These descriptions 

 are far from being satisfactory or complete ; they refer more 

 to military camps, or to the temporary residences of wander- 

 ing pastoral tribes. Remains of huts are scattered over 

 Derbyshire and Yorkshire, which correspond with part of 

 these accounts, for they seem to have been shallow circular 

 pits covered over with wood work and reeds. But the fortified 

 towns such as Greaves Ash were " designed for long continu- 

 ance," and were inhabited by settled tribes. The dwellings 

 there were undoubtedly partly of durable stone, for some of 

 the walls are yet from 2 feet to 3 feet high; and as the 

 thickness is from 2| feet to 5 feet, it may reasonably be 

 conjectured, that when perfect, they would not be less than 

 5 or 6 feet in height. On these strong walls, the conical 

 roof would rest, made of wood and wattles, and covered over 

 with reeds, straw, or sods. Rude nations not unfrequently 

 adopt this form of building ; the ancient huts of the American 

 Indians, and the modern huts of the Esquimaux, are circular 

 — a form indeed which economises material, and is easily 

 roofed and covered with thatch. 



Most of the huts at Greaves Ash have the entrance in an 

 easterly diiection, partly, it may be, to avoid the strong 

 westerly winds ; but as this easterly arrangement is general 

 over the country, both in camps and dwelling, it may have 

 originated in a deeper reason arising out of religious belief 

 and sentiment connected with the worship of the sun. 



That the fire was placed in the centre of the huts was 

 shewn, by the excavations at the Chesters ; the smoke from 

 the burnt wood escaped as it best could, out of an opening in 

 the roof or through the door ; but in one case, as already 

 stated, we find that the fire was in a hollow below the level 

 of the floor, from which the smoke was carried by a rude 

 flue. The raised row of flags across the entrance proves, that 

 the hut was closed by a door, but how formed, whether of 

 wood or of wattle work, we have no information. 



* Strabo, lib. iv. c. 4. f Dio, Sic. lib. vi. c. 7. 



