VOL. XIX. (i) EXCURSION— DUN DRY HILL & STANTON DREW 
21 
Leaving the Circles, the Members proceeded to the Church, where the 
Rev. W. W. Warren, who has recently taken up residence as Vicar, furnished 
some particulars. The font is the oldest part of the Church, being early 
Norman, and there are fragments of Norman work at the base of pillars and 
elsewhere. The building has been thoroughly restored, and the gallery at 
the west end renewed. 
MAES KNOLL AND THE WANSDYKE. 
After tea the party motored to Maes Knoll, where Mr Hudd again con- 
tributed some interesting observations on the Wansdyke, which begins at 
Maes Knoll — a well-preserved earthwork on a hill which bears a striking 
resemblance to Haresfield Beacon. Standing on the Knoll it was easy to 
create a picture of the land situated on the Standish side of Haresfield Beacon, 
and the general contour was strongly reminiscent of that locality. 
Mr Hudd has devoted special study to the Wansdyke, which extends from 
North Somerset to the borders of Hampshire. There can be no doubt that 
the name by which the dyke is now known is of Saxon origin, nor that to that 
people we may attribute the finest portions of the monument, for instance, 
tlie portion near English Combe and that on the Wiltshire Downs from 
Shepherd’s Shore to St. .Anne’s Hill, but it is ([uite possible that there was an 
earlier dj-ke partially following the same course, connecting the prehistoric 
eartliworks at Maes Knoll, Stantonbury, Hampton Down, etc. It is also 
possible that this earlier dyke may have been one of the “ Belgic ditches ” 
described by several authorities. The late Dr. John Beddoe also attributed 
“ the gigantic earth fortress called Maes Knoll ” and the Wansdyke to the 
Belggc, erected as a barrier against the Dobuni of Gloucestershire, but this 
was written before the excavation of the dyke by General Pitt-Rivers. It 
seems probable that Maes Knoll also is of post-Roman date. There is at 
jirescnt no trace of the Wansdyke west of Maes Knoll, and notwithstanding 
the account given by Collinson, it is very doubtful whether the dyke ever 
extended further west than it does now. Mr Hudd examined, many years 
ago, the remains in “ Yanley Lane ” and in other places mentioned by Collin- 
son and others, and came to the conclusion that the traces of carthw'orks there 
had nothing to do with the dyke. From Maes Knoll the dyke starts from the 
north-east corner of the camp in the direction of Stantonbury, where it joins 
the. north-west vallum of the prehistoric camp there, and may be traced in 
many places between Stantonbury and Hampton Camp. Since the explora- 
tion twenty years ago, much of the dyke has been destroyed, especially in 
Prior Park, Bath, wliere it was well-marked , but can now hardly be seen. The 
vallum varies from a few inches above the bottom of the foss to about 30 feet 
on St. Anne’s or Tanhill. The ditch is always on the north side of the mound, 
which indicates its use as a protection by the dwellers south of the Dyke. It 
has been suggested that the mound and ditch were, only intended to prevent 
cattle straying, but the huge mound and the ditch carefully cut in the chalk 
rock on the Wiltshire Downs seem to indicate something more, possibly a 
tribal boundary. 
The ascent of Maes Knoll was not the least pleasant jmrt of the day’s 
programme, for not only did Members get respite from the blinding clouds 
of dust, but they were also favoured with fine views of Dundry Hill with its 
prominent Church tower, the familiar line of the Cotteswolds ; while the 
diversified features of the landscape created an agreeable impression of this 
part of Somersetshire. 
One again the Honorary Secretary had succeeded in ministering to the 
tastes of all. 
The Members of the Club who were present included : — The Rev. H. 
H. Win wood (Vice-President), Me.s.srs. L. Richardson (Hon. Secretary), F. 
H. Bretherton, G. M. Currie, E. W. Fyffe, F. Hannam-Clark, W. Margetson, 
A. S. Montgomrey, A. E. Smith, F. W. Smith, E. C. Sewell, A. J. Stephens, 
W. Thompson, C. Upton, and E. Northam Witchell. 
