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PRE-HISTORY OF THE VILLAGE OF FIMBER : PART I. 
BY J. R. MORTIMER. 
Every town aud village has an unwTitten history to be deciphered, 
and the writer hcjpes that his feeble attempt iu this instance will 
induce others, far more able than himself, to make known any still 
remaining arclueological features belonging to localities best known 
to them. He believes a few more papers of this kind, notably such 
as those given by Mr. Holmes and by Mr. Davis in Vol. ix., would do 
much to increase and spread a kiKjwledge of the early history of 
Yorkshire, and not in any way detract from the merits of the Society's 
Proceedings. Though, probably, its chief purp(3se is to advance 
geological research, the field for geological study will, in the main, 
be as readily investigated in a thousand years hence as now, and 
there is no need for anxiety ; not so witk the works of early man 
sculptured in various forms on the earth's surface. Modern civiliza- 
tion, and its inevitable surface mutilations, often miscalled improve- 
ments, have necessarily removed the gi-eater portion of the old works 
and ideas of the early ages of man, and but a very small proportion 
of what once existed now remains. These also will soon be lost for 
ever if not deciphered and recorded, hence the value of encouraging 
archaiological pursuits, and offering facilities for noting and preserving 
the few remaining works of the distant past. 
Fimber is pleasantly situated on what we may term a rampart- 
girt natural eminence, in a picturesque depression on the eastern side 
of the Chalk hills. At what period man was first domiciled on this 
spot will never be ascertained, but the evidence we possess carries us 
far back into its past occupation. 
During the last 26 years I have (often assisted by my brother, 
R. Mortimer) excavated the barrows and every kind of ancient earth- 
work in its vicinity which were likely to yield any information on the 
forgotten past, and it is mainly by the aid of the pick and the shovel 
that I have obtained the interesting information which forms the sub- 
ject of this paper. 
As I have already intimated Fimber is a place of great antiquity. 
