100 
PEN PITS. 
scythe-stones had been obtained from the Pen Pits, and it was a more 
compact rock than that used for the Devonshire batts at Broadhem- 
bury, near Honiton.* During an excursion made under his guidance 
to Penzlewood in July, 1881, we noticed that holes similar to the Pen 
Pits are now occasionally dug for the purpose of obtaining chert and 
rubbly greensand for mending roads. 
This explanation of the origin of the Pen Pits makes it interesting 
to inquire into the meaning of other pits that have been regarded as 
dwellings. 
Among the more important of these are Cole’s Pits, near Faringdon. 
in Berkshire—old pits extending over fourteen acres. These have been 
considered to be the remains of early British habitations; and the 
largest, as we are informed by Mr. E. C. Davey, has been assigned to 
no less a personage than “ King Cole.” Mr. Godwin-Austen and Mr. 
Davey have, however, shown that the pits are simply the remains of 
old workings for sandstone and iron-ore, in the sponge-gravel of 
Neocomian (Lower Greensand) age.f 
In Yorkshire Professor Phillips described a number of circular 
pits, considered to be the bases of British huts. He observes that “ In 
general, as in the double series which encircles the summit of Kosebury 
Topping, only circular hollows appear—not unlike swallow-holes. But 
at Egton Grange, in Eskdale, the cavities, which vary in diameter from 
eight to eighteen feet, and in depth from three to six feet, have a 
raised border of earth and stones, with usually an opening on one side. 
Some have been built round within in the form of a well,” 
“Killing Pits, one mile south of Goadland Chapel; Hole Pits, a 
little south of Westerdale Chapel; a few near Ugthorpe ; and a large 
group between Danby Beacon and Wapley, have the same general 
characters. In the last situation they ai’e ranged in two straight lines, 
as if on two sides of a street. The pits are about ten feet in diameter.”+ 
Prof. Phillips described the “ pit-houses” as tapering huts constructed 
of wood on a circular basis. In short, after the ground was excavated, it 
was supposed that branches of trees were placed to form a conical 
roof, which, perhaps, might be made weather-proof by wattling, a 
covering of rushes, or sods. 
Referring to these pits, Mr. Clement Reid writes to me (7th Dec., 
1882) :—“ All of them are undoubtedly old ironstone mines. Both [Mr. 
George] Barrow and I came to this conclusion when [geologically] sur¬ 
veying the country, and though the Rev, J. C, Atkinson, who, I believe, 
is the principal authority for the pit-dwelling theory, objected at the 
time, I have lately been corresponding with him, and in one of his 
letters he says, “ I give up the idea of British settlements entirely now.” 
Mr. Reid adds that “ the pits are always associated with heaps of iron¬ 
stone slag, and pieces of the stone are scattered about in the neighbour- 
* “ Geology of East Somerset,” etc. (Geol. Survey Memoir), p. 139. 
I “ Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc.,” vol.vi., p. 4.59; aiicl “ Traus. Newbury District 
Field Club,” vol. ii. Itepriuted, Wantage, 1874. 
: “ Itivers, mountains, and sea-coast of Yorkshire,” p. 109. 
