458 
MORTIMER : A SUPPOSED ROMAN CAMP AT OCTON. 
iiig across the camp as far as the northern side ditch, thus cutting it 
into two nearly equal parts. In excavating this foss-way across the 
camp, the material has been cast on both sides forming two banks or 
ramparts, hence the resemblance to two nearly square contiguous 
camps ; but it really seems to be only one camp in the form of a 
parallelogram divided into two compartments by this sunk entry. It 
will be observed that to gain admittance into the interior of the camp 
without scaling the ramparts, it would be necessary to traverse the 
whole length of the foss-way as far as the nortliern side of the camp, 
and then to turn and pass for a few ])aces to the right, where there is 
a well-preserved opening, 28 feet Avide, through the inner rampart, 
into the interior. 
By this ingenious arrangement ingress was rendered extremely 
difficult for an enemy, who, after forcing the outer entrance 
gate, would have to make his way almost in single file along a deep 
and narrow avenue the whole widtli of tlie camp, and for a short 
distance along the nortliern side before tlie second gate leading 
through the inner rampart into the interior, as shown on the plan, 
could be forced. Such a well-defended entrance as this camp 
possessed would expose an enemy passing along it to a full attack 
from tlie defenders inside the ramparts on both sides of the passage, 
and give a small number of men witli minor weapons great resistive 
powers. 
It is true, that after forcing the outer gate of the subway, the 
attacking party would enter and push along the foss running round 
the side of the camp, as well as by the centre passage. But so long 
as the inner rampart was unsealed, the enemy in tlie trenches 
would suffer greatly from the defenders sheltered within the camp, 
and soon be reduced to an almost helpless mass of wounded and 
dying men. Such a condition of things would block the trenches, 
impede further ingress, and act somewhat as a barrier to the enemy 
without, striving to scale the ditch and inner rampart. Probably there 
would also be a similar entrance somewhere through the inner ram- 
part into the western division of this camp, which entrance is now 
obliterated by debris which at some time has been carted and in 
places shot into the foss-way. 
