On the Excavations at Rotherley, Woodcuts, and Bokerly Dyke. 293 



This also it may be well to pass over for the present. The dyke in 

 this part, which I term the right centre, is thrown forward at a very 

 obtuse angle. The reason for this does not appear to have been 

 noticed by previous writers. It was not, certainly, thrown forward 

 in order to secure strong ground, for the apex of the angle is in the 

 bottom of a valley. But just in rear of the entrenchment, at its 

 most advanced point, in the bottom of the hill, the verdure of the 

 grass and crops, marked by a black oval patch in the map, seems to 

 denote comparatively rich soil, and it appears probable that a spring 

 or wells formerly existed in this place, the water from which, if a 

 spring, must have run down hill beyond the dyke to the eastward. 

 It was, I apprehend, in order to secure this spot that the dyke was 

 thrown forward. The northern or left face of this advanced portion 

 of the dyke terminated in a re-entering angle, which I fix upon as 

 the centre of the position. From this spot the dyke runs in a 

 north-west direction, with a high bank and deep ditch, to Bokerly 

 Gap, which is a part of the dyke about 129yds. in length, in 

 which the rampart has been, I believe, at some time removed for 

 top dressing the soil, but of this 1 have no certain evidence. Con- 

 tinuing in the same line beyond the Gap we come to an epaulement, 

 which has attracted the notice of archaeologists. It is a spur, or 

 short branch, of the dyke which turns abruptly westward, with a 

 ditch to the north, and runs across a short natural terre-plein of the 

 hill, for about 180ft., and terminates in a shallow combe, in the rear 

 of the main dyke. It has been conjectured that this epaulement 

 was the original termination of the dyke at its north end, at a time 

 when the Cranbourne Chase Wood extended thus far from the 

 northward, and this is rendered probable from the fact that even 

 within the memory of persons now living this spot was occupied 

 by a wood or copse. I shall have to return to this epaulement 

 hereafter. Leaving the epaulement, Bokerly Dyke runs on con- 

 tinuously to the north-west until the part, termed the Shoulder 

 Angle on my map, is reached. Here it turns westward for about 

 200yds, until it touches the modern Salisbury Road. The old 

 Roman Road here cuts the dyke at nearly the same spot, and makes 

 here its first and only turn of any importance between Sarum and 



