By Mr. and Mrs. B. H. Cunnington. 59 



one ou the north, 1 K, and one oh the south, G, hy unexcavated 

 causeways through the outer ditch, and one on the west hy a sunken 

 road leading from the downs into the camp. It has been suggested 

 that not improbably there had been an entrance at H from the 

 long combe leading to Water Dene Bottom, but cuttings made 

 there proved that the outer ditch was continuous. Moreover there 

 is no break in the rampart at this point, and it is actually higher 

 than it appears, because an accumulation of soil several feet in 

 tbickness, washed down from the higher ground, has been banked 

 up against it ou the inner side. The fact also that a ditch (No. II.) 

 coming from the interior of the camp ends abruptly at the inner 

 edge of this rampart seems to add to the improbability of there 

 ever having been an entrance there. 2 



There are wide gaps in the rampart at Da and F that have 

 been also regarded as possible entrances. Cuttings made outside 

 these gaps proved however, that the outer ditch is continuous in 

 both places, and it is therefore unlikely that they were original 

 entrances. 3 A track used for farm purposes to Casterley barn now 

 passes through the gap at Da, and another track that has been 

 used within recent years passes through the gap at F, and runs 

 through the camp roughly from south-east to north-west, dividing 



1 Sir R. Colt Hoare suggested that there must have been an entrance on 

 this side although he could detect no sign of it. Ancient Wilts, South, 177. 



2 Within living memory there was a pond just outside the rampart at this 

 spot ("H" on Key Plan), and consequently the present appearances are 

 deceptive. An old labourer stated that when this pond ceased to hold 

 water, the pond by the barn, for which the rampart was cut away, was 

 made, but as this pond also failed to hold water, the one in Widdington 

 Combe was subsequently made. Certain hollows within the camp to the 

 east of the barn were pointed out as being the places from which clay for 

 puddling the ponds had been dug. 



3 The ends of the rampart at Da appear to flank each other. If there had 

 been a sharp turn in the rampart at this point where the gap was cut as there 

 is in the same bank a little further to the south it would have this appearance. 

 It is noteworthy that Sir R. Colt Hoare, who saw it earlier, in spite of this 

 appearance of flanking, doubted its being an original entrance. 



