Excursion on Thursday, August 14st/i. 



19 



Rockley, where, by kind permission of W. H. Tanner , Esq., several 

 barrows had been opened under the skilful superintendence of Mr. 

 Henry Cunning-ton, as well as others on the down adjoining, the 

 property of his brother, R. P. Tanner, Esq., of Ogbourne Maizey. 

 As we shall subjoin a detailed account farther on of these most 

 successful openings, it is needless to add more here. 



The great cavalcade of carriages and horses, comprising now about 

 one hundred and fifty persons, then proceeded over the springy turf 

 to the fine breezy heights of Barbury Castle. The Rev. A. C. Smith 

 shortly described the camp, which was originally British, though 

 subsequently strengthened by the Saxons, and pointed out the depth 

 of the fosse, the strength of the earthworks, the double ramparts, 

 the barbican, and the commanding position, rendering this camp 

 well-nigh impregnable without artillery. Mr. Swayne and Mr. S. 

 Sloper expressed their opinion that the camp was Roman, this, 

 however, was not the view of Sir Richard Hoare, who considered it 

 an excellent example of Saxon castrametation. The archaeologists 

 wandered round the ramparts, and were loud in their praises of this 

 very perfect specimen of an ancient camp. Then they partook of 

 the welcome refreshments which Mr. H. Kemble, of Overtown, in a 

 spirit of most liberal hospitality, had provided for the excursionists, 

 and himself presided over the waggons and dispensed the contents 

 on all sides. Sir John Lubbock, in the name of the Society, 

 tendered a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Kemble, and then, having 

 inspected a celt and some Roman coins which Mr. Blackford ex- 

 hibited, and which had been found on the spot, the Secretary's 

 whistle sounded the note of departure, and the company descending 

 the hill to the carriages drove for a good mile or more on the old 

 British trackway along the crest of Hackpen. This British road or 

 " Ridge-way/'' as it is locally termed, though certainly undesirable 

 for modern carriages, inasmuch as it possesses deep ruts and sundry 

 awkward muddy holes of considerable depth, is of great interest to 

 the antiquarian, for it was the undoubted road of communication 

 between the north and south of this part of England in the time o£ 

 the Britons. However valued in the eyes of the archaeologist, the 

 drivers at any rate were not sorry when they reached the hard road 



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