COLE : ANCIENT ENTRENCHMENTS NEAR WETWANG. 
49 
TJie dikes are not strictly parallel ; they are somewhat wider at 
the west end than at the east, and are only approximately straight. 
The following are the measured distances from the top of one ridge 
to the top of the next, going from south to north : — 
At centre of West end ... 30 ft. 29 ft. 28 ft. 33 ft. 
East „ ...29 ft. 27 ft. 2o ft. 32ft. 
Counting the external ditches the extreme width at the west point of 
measurement is 193 ft., at the east 145 ft. As Dr. Burton, who 
made careful measurements in 1745, gives the width as 219 ft., it is 
possible that an outside rampart existed on one or both sides, which 
has since been destroyed by the plough. 
The two dales, whose extremities terminate at Huggate Dikes, 
are of gTcat depth, as much as 200 ft., and the sides are very steep. 
The high ground between is the only level piece on the Wolds on 
this line, and here would be concentrated any hostile attack whether 
from north or south. Hence the gTcat strength of the entrenchments 
at this point. 
Were the entrenchments on the Wolds the work of the Britons 
or of the Romans ? I have no hesitation in saying of the former ; 
for one reason, and that a good one, that there is not a straight line 
amongst the whole lot. They may look straight on paper, but not 
on the ground itself. Dr. Burton, in 1745, spent a great deal of time 
and money in preparing his map. It embraces the district round 
Millington, because he Avas persuaded that the long lost Delgovitia, a 
station mentioned in the itinerary of Antonine as lying between York 
and Prietorium, was at jMillington. In support of his view he claims 
all the earthworks at Garrowby and Huggate as Roman works, and 
more marvellous still, all the tumuli as Roman barrows ! The tumuli 
are without exception British. Such being his views we need not be 
surprised at finding on his map the Huggate Dikes, half a mile long, 
ruled as straight and exactly parallel, as Euclid could desire ; whereas, 
as a matter of fact, they are quite the reverse. In my opinion the 
Romans attacked the hardy Brigantes of the Wolds on two sides, 
from York and from Malton, and a good many entrenchments ma)" 
have been constructed by the natives during the long-continued 
fighting which doubtless went on then. The Romans had the best 
i 
