Elsdon Mote Hills. By Mr Thos. Arkle. 539 



of this southern hill, which was originally nearly level, only de- 

 clining a little towards the entrance, has at various times been 

 much disturbed by diggings probably made in search of hidden 

 treasure. It contains an area of 900 square yards, being 100 feet 

 long and 80 broad, exclusive of the earlier rampart by which it 

 is defended on the north and east sides. This barrier, the base 

 of which is from 15 to 40 in width, the greatest height being 12 

 feet, extends from the western to the south-eastern point, where 

 the entrance is placed. On the remaining side the hill is a little 

 higher towards the edge, but this elevation is so very trifling that 

 it has not been shown on the drawing. The heightened edge, 

 however, leads to the inference that a portion of earth may at 

 some period have been removed from this quarter, and that the 

 hill originally may have been guarded by a continuous line of 

 defence. On the eastern side, the bottom of the surrounding 

 ditch is 35 feet below the summit of the rampart. 



The north or lower hill rises to an average height of 63 feet 

 above the brook. The nearly level space on the top measures on 

 an average 200 by 120 feet, thus having an area of 2700 square 

 yards, or upwards of half an acre, exclusive of the ground occu- 

 pied by the rampart which runs along the northern and eastern 

 sides. This defence is 60 feet broad at the widest part, its ex- 

 treme height being 15 feet. 



The ditch on the northern side of this hill is 27 feet below the 

 top of the adjacent rampart, whilst the sloping side of the breast- 

 work and ditch taken together is double that distance. 



"When the hills were occupied for defensive purposes, the 

 ditches would possibly be filled with water to a considerable 

 depth, but if so every trace of the retaining dams has disappeared. 

 It may be remarked that this could not be done to any appreci- 

 able extent on the south side, on account of the small capacity of 

 the ditch. 



The surface of the northern hill, unlike that of its more aspir- 

 ing neighbour, appears to have remained untouched. Its beau- 

 tifully level top, and the fine unbroken, sweeping barrier by 

 which it is protected, seem never to have been disturbed since 

 the last detachment of weary labourers relinquished their tools 

 on the completion of their stupendous, and probably long pro- 

 tracted work. 



On looking carefully at the section DBE, the reader will be 

 apt to di-aw a conclusion, that the top of the northern hill is very 



