By Mr. and Mrs. B. H. Cunnington. 85 



pieces of mortaria, Samian and other pottery, coins, etc, such as 

 are usually associated with Romano-British remains. 



At what date the settlement ceased to he inhabited there is no 

 direct evidence. The presence of coins of the Constantine period 

 suggests that it was occuped at least as late as the earlier part of the 

 fourth century. It is, perhaps, not improbable that Casterley gradu- 

 ally ceased to be inhabited in the fifth century, as a result of the 

 Saxon occupation of the country. The Saxons, it seems, preferred to 

 settle in the valleys, in sheltered and well-watered sites that are 

 inhabited to this day. It is a fact, at least in Wiltshire, that while 

 relics- of Romano-British and earlier habitation are of frequent 

 occurrence on the downs, those of post- Roman date are conspicuous 

 by their absence, and it seems not improbable that all the sites 

 of the so-called "British villages" on the high downs gradually 

 fell into decay at this period, as their inhabitants of native descent 

 fell victims to the Saxon onslaughts, died, or migrated to the more 

 genial and prosperous settlements of their conquerors, to become 

 in time racially absorbed in them. 1 



The Pottery. 



It has been said that three distinct stages can be recognised 

 in the occupation of Casterley Camp. 



The recognition oE these stages of occupation is based on the 

 character of the pottery, which falls naturally and inevitably into 

 three classes or types. 



(1) The first, or " pit," period, is easily dealt with, there being 

 a clear distinction between it and the second period, not only in 

 the type of the pottery itself, but in its place of occurrence also. 

 The pottery found in the three pit-dwellings was, without exception, 

 all of inferior quality, hand-made and devoid of ornamentation. 

 The colour of the paste is black or very dark brown, sometimes 



1 There is a local tradition to the effect that the village of Upavon once 

 stood where the camp is, and that the people eventually moved down and 

 built Upavon. That part of the camp situated at the head of the combe is 

 said to have been the burial ground. It is not known if any burials have 

 ever been found there to give rise to this latter part of the tradition. 



