70 Casterley Camp Excavations. 



one of the combes leading to Water Dene Bottom, 1 where it shallows 

 up and runs out altogether on what is now an open down. 2 



Where the ditch of the entrenchment and the sunken way intersect 

 each other, a curious feature was found. It will be seen in the longi- 

 tudinal section of the road, that the ditch and the road are of the 

 same depth at the entrance, except at the actual point of inter- 

 section, where the level of the road suddenly drops some 2ft. for a 

 space equal to the width of the ditch. It will be seen (enlarged 

 section R, PI. XV., of sunken way) that this sunken space was 

 evidently made in connection with the road, for it is at right angles 

 to it, and not to the ditch. The object of the excavation sunk 

 below the usual depth of the road and ditch at their point of 

 meeting is not known, but it seems probable that it had something 

 to do with some form of gate or barrier to block the entrance. 



The Northern Entrance. The entrance on the northern side was 

 by a causeway 12ft. wide left unexcavated in the course of the 

 ditch K (Key Plan, Plate X), and leading to a gap in the rampart. 

 Time did not permit a search being made there for post-holes. It 

 is perhaps worth recording that this gap in the rampart, thus 

 proved to be an original one, looked less imposing than several 

 gaps in the same bank that have no claim to antiquity. 



Excavations in the Kectilinear Enclosure. 



The ends of the ditch, on either side of the causeway of un- 

 disturbed chalk forming the entrance to this enclosure, were cleared 

 out to the bottom — with interesting results (PI. XIII.) On one side, 



1 In common with other settlements on the Plain the question of the 

 water supply at Casterley is a difficulty. In wet "seasons the water still 

 occasionally rises to the surface in Water Dene Bottom, and if, as appears 

 to have been the case, the water-level was formerly higher than at present, 

 it is possible that there was a constant spring there. Otherwise, if there 

 were no wells, the nearest water would seem to be the river Avon, some 

 mile and a half to two miles away in the valley. 



2 Similarly narrow and ditch-like roads or " ways " are still in use in parts _ 

 of Algeria, but whether made or only the result of wear the writer does not 

 know. Old trackways deeply worn, apparently only as a result of traffic 

 are common enough on the downs, and some of them are nearly as steep- 

 sided and as narrow as the sunken way at Casterley. 



