ANCIENT EARTHWORKS 



by successive residents upon their summits ; and another is that they were 

 abandoned after comparatively short existences as fortresses. 



Arkholme with Cawood (9 J miles north-east of Lancaster). — Close to 

 the north-east corner of the little church here, a circular earthwork mount, 

 placed at the east end of a high headland, towers above the wide-spreading 

 valley of the Lune. This mount is now known by the name of the Chapel 

 Hill. 



The site is an imposing one, and strikes the observer at once as exceed- 

 ingly suitable for defensive purposes. It is on the highest point of a little 

 isolated hill, which projects quite close to the right bank of the river, about 

 one-third of the distance down the course of the latter from where it leaves 

 the mountains at Kirkby Lonsdale to its estuary below Lancaster. The 

 height of the hill above sea level is about 140 ft., and it is about 60 ft. above 

 the flat meadows and the river below. The mount absolutely commands the 

 whole of its surroundings, the nearest ground of equal elevation being 270 

 yards away. 



The visible remains now consist of an artificial mound of earth, circular 

 and conical in form and truncated, or cut level, upon the top; this mount (A) 

 is 1 10 ft. in diameter at its base and measures about 45 ft. across its top ; its 

 height above the small plateau upon which it is placed is about 20 ft. On 

 the north-east, east, and south-east sides the very steep natural scarp of the 

 ground, probably also increased artificially, forms ample protection against 

 attack. There is no distinct fosse now to be seen upon the other and unpro- 

 tected sides, but there are very apparent traces of the former existence of one 

 upon the north-west of the mount, where a footpath runs along its hollow. 

 On the south side, the fact of its being within the area of the graveyard will 

 explain the filling up of a probable fosse. Whether there was a base 

 court, or bailey, adjacent to the mount, is now not at first sight apparent. 

 But beyond the ditch on the north-west side examination discloses a distinct 

 raised area forming a kind of platform (B) ; this seems to run round to the west 

 and south-west (including the site of the church), and covers in all about half 

 an acre of ground ; along its north and west sides depressions and the lower- 

 ing of level distinctly suggest former fosses. But the whole of the ground has 

 been so altered by digging in the churchyard, and also by a modern extension 

 of the latter, that no very definite opinion upon the point can be expressed. 



Just south of the mount a deep cut and ancient lane leads down to a ford 

 across the Lune to Melling (q.v.). The earthwork mount there is seen 

 about a mile away on the opposite side of the river to the south-east, while 

 across the flat meadows ij miles south the mount and court castle of Hornby 

 (q.v.) is in view. Whittington Mount (q.v.) is 2| miles distant on the same 

 side of the Lune to the north. 



This mount has often been described as a sepulchral tumulus, and has 

 also been called a Roman botontinus. But, fortunately, an examination of its 

 interior by the spade, recently made by Mr. H. M. White of Burton, has 

 removed all doubts as to its true nature. 



Mr. White kindly informs me that at a few inches below the surface on 



the summit of the mount, he found a rough cobble pavement. Digging 



down 9 ft. deeper he discovered another pavement which was covered with 



charred wood and other matter, in which were embedded bits of bone and 



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