By the Rev. Thomas Miles. 107 



not present any very picturesque features, but the higher parts of 

 the downs afford wild and extensive views over the surrounding 

 country. Towards the north is a dreary prospect over the plain to 

 the hills near Marlborough and Devizes. In other directions may 

 be seen Beacon Hill beyond Amesbury ; the spire of Salisbury 

 Cathedral, and the woods of Wardour, Fonthill and Longleat. 

 The downs also present traces of British or Roman works, which 

 extend along the edge of Stockton wood. Sir Richard Hoare 

 speaks of " the magnificent Station at Stockton-wood corner, ,, 

 meaning probably the earth- works on the Rector's glebe. This 

 station appears to have extended westward to what is called the 

 Cow Down. Some men digging chalk here in 1833, found the 

 remains of ancient masonry, apparently enclosing a place of sepul- 

 ture. It was a long narrow cavity, about seven or eight feet in 

 length, two feet deep, and the same in width ; paved at the bottom ; 

 the sides walled, and the whole covered with slabs of stone. The 

 stones were set in lime mortar. The cavity was nearly full of 

 earth, in which were bones and a black substance like ashes, or the 

 residuum of a body, and pieces of earthenware. Near this was dis- 

 covered another similar cavity constructed like the former, but 

 only two or three feet square, and containing bones and the black 

 substance before mentioned. The stones were of the Chilmark 

 and Fovant quarries. On trial with an iron bar, they struck upon 

 masonry in several other places, and found broken earthenware and 

 bones. The pottery, of which a few specimens were preserved, is 

 of a very coarse kind ; some of it of light brown colour, and some 

 black. A piece of copper was found, apparently the cover of a 

 small vessel, but no coins. Sir Richard Hoare supposes this station 

 to have been upon the Roman road, between old Sarum and Uphill 

 on Severn, of which he gives the following account. "No traces 

 of this Road appear 'till you come to the Eastern corner of Grovely 

 wood, where the pitched causeway is perceptible at the distance of 

 3 and J miles from old Sarum. It traverses the whole of Grovely, 

 and comes> out at Dinton or Wyndham's Beeches. It crosses the 

 London road at the 90th mile stone; and leaving the fine British 

 works and subsequent Roman station at Stockton-wood corner, a 



k2 



