A HISTORY OF DEVONSHIRE 



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Csj^tle 



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Do win 



south to the west, is no cresting bank, but an escarpment 25 ft. deep into the fosse of such width 

 that it answers the purpose of a base-court. This is defended by a counterscarp of 20 ft., and 

 a scarp of nearly 35 ft. descending on the precipitous hill-side. The agger is wider and heavier 

 at the eastern extremity, which is approached by an easy acclivity. There are two entrances on 

 the north-east and south-east respectively, and a postern or narrow way passes from the fosse to the 

 inner camp. A heap of loose stones and earth was formerly near the south-eastern entrance within 

 the fosse, which was thought by Polwhele to be the wreck of some work for the guarding of 

 this gateway. 



Near the centre of the inner area is a pit 12 ft. in diameter and now about 3 ft. deep. This 

 has been cleared, and found to be a shaft 58 ft. in depth narrowing to 3 ft. wide at the base, which 

 Was formed like an inverted cone and puddled round with clay. As no spring is on the hill it has 

 been suggested that the pit was for water storage. Diodorus Siculus, however, speaks of the 

 construction of such shafts by the Britons in which the ears of wheat were stored,^ and it was 

 probably for this purpose it was sunk at Cadbury.^ 



While removing the rubble with which the shaft was choked there were found a large ring set 

 with an intaglio of light green antique paste, and other finger rings ; beautiful armlets of bronze 

 with gold ornamentation ; a jet button, and glass and enamel beads. A fragment of an iron 

 weapon, horses' teeth, pieces of cinerary urns of coarse pottery, charcoal, and charred human bones 

 were also found ; fragments eloquent of various eras in which this camp was inhabited.' 



In the word ' Cad- 

 N bury' the first syllable 



cot or cad is the Celtic 

 equivalent to war and 

 •warrior^ and is common 

 to many names of per- 

 sons and places, and, in 

 this instance has led to 

 a confusion with a place 

 and camp of the same 

 name in Somerset — a 

 confusion intensified by 

 the association of the 

 place in both counties 

 writh other camps of 

 ' Dolbury.' 



The position of 

 Cadbury Castle com- 

 mands the valley and 

 estuary of the Exe to 

 the sea, and the heights 

 of Dartmoor, with the 

 strongholds of friend or 

 foe at Dane's Castle and Exeter Castle, Dolbury, Woodbury, Sidbury, Hembury, Dumpton, and 

 Membury of the Dorsetshire tribes. By the ancient road they could also communicate with 

 Ugbrooke, Musbury, Denbury and Milber, Mamhead and Castle Dyke, by which its strategic 

 importance was considerable. 



Cadbury Castle was occupied by the army of Fairfax in December, 1645. In the years 1827 

 and 1848, Roman and other articles were found on the site. 



Crediton (O.S. Ixvii, 9 and 13). — Posbury Camp, crowning Posbury Hill, on Castle Down, 

 is above the west bank of the Culvery Brook, a tributary of the Yeo, 2J miles south-west of the 

 town of Crediton. This camp, with another formerly on Blackadown, opposite, commanded the 

 ancient road from Crediton. Part only of these entrenchments remain, consisting of the southern 

 defences. A scarp on the natural descent here falls 1 5 ft- into a fosse 8 ft. deep. A curved agger, 

 over 700 ft, in length, widens at either end, both of which turn outwards, the eastern extremity 

 attaining its height above the base of the fosse in two grades. Outside the greater part of the 

 length of this agger is a shallow fosse 4 ft. in depth, and an outer rampart, which, at its western 

 extremity, has been mutilated by the cutting of a road. 



LuppiTT (O.S. Iviii, 12). — Dumpton or Dumpdon Great Camp, over 2 miles north of Honiton, 

 is on the summit of a round-backed eminence 879 ft. above the sea. 



SCALE OF FEET 

 too 700 





Posbury Camp, Crediton. 



' Lib. V, 209 ; Mun'imenta Antiqua, i, 48. 



' Archaeolo^a, xlvi, 446. 



' Some of these articles are illustrated in the Arch. Journ. v, 



582 



193-8. 



