lii 
Journal of Proceedings. 
Loughton or “Cowper’s” earthwork. Only having been recognised as 
a “ camp ” by Mr. B. H. Cowper in 1872 its written history is comprised 
in that gentleman’s careful descriptions, no previous records being extant. 
The following are the titles of Mr. Cowper’s papers:—r(l) “Notes on an 
Entrenched Camp in Epping Forest, with plan by Mr. D’Oyley: ” read at 
a meeting of the Royal ArcliaBological Institute, November 5th, 1875 
(‘ Archaeological Journal,’ vol. xxxiii., p. 88); (2) “ Ancient Earthworks in 
Epping Forest ” [Joe. tit. p. 245) ; (3) ‘ Ancient Camps in Epping 
Forest, with plans by William D’Oyley, of Loughton: ’ a pamphlet 
published by the Epping Forest Fund in 1876, and now very rare ; (4) 
“Epping Forest and its Ancient Camps” (with woodcut), ‘Cassells 
Family Magazine,’ vol. iii. (1877), p. 158. Mr. Cowper also addressed 
many letters to the ‘ City Press,’ ‘Notes and Queries,’ &c., in the hope 
of obtaining some information, but without success. 
Mr. Cowper thus recounts the circumstances leading to his discovery 
and recognition of the camp :— 
“ It was on a bright summer's day in 1872 that I took a ticket to 
Loughton for a ramble in the Forest, which thereabouts is exceptionally 
attractive. After crossing a streamlet, I ascended a prominent and 
elevated hill commanding a prospect of remarkable beauty and extent. 
As I wandered on, my attention was diverted from the natural charms 
of this lovely spot, by what past experience suggested might be an ancient 
moat or ditch. A few minutes examination produced the conviction that 
here was one of those renowned earthworks of which examples are 
scattered over the country. After only a provisional investigation, and a 
mental resolve to make enquiry, other explorations were made, and the 
supposed earthwork was left, but not forgotten.During three 
years I could obtain no further clue, so in 1875 I decided upon seeking 
for the Loughton entrenchment again. I went, therefore, and this time 
sought the place from the Epping New Road, or from the west. I did 
not know the precise position, and it was only with difficulty I discovered 
it; in fact, not until I had mentally abandoned my task, and concluded 
that the camp must have been a phantom after all. It was no phantom, 
however, and I traced the lines of the embankment and trench for a 
considerable distance. This was all I could do on my second visit, except 
that I took note of the exact locality. Since then I have been several 
times, and have traced the entire circumference, and obtained other 
details.” 
Further examination, and a careful survey made in 1876 by Mr. D'Oyley, 
confirmed Mr. Cowper’s first impressions, and to these gentlemen belong 
the credit of discovering and defining one of the most interesting 
antiquities of the kind in the neighbourhood of London. The camp is 
situated in the depths of the Forest, about a mile north-west of the 
village of Loughton, and about two miles south-west of Ambresbury 
Banks. It is marked on the new official map, but the dimensions there 
laid down are very misleading—in reality the Loughton Camp is about 800 
yards in circumference, and contains between eleven and twelve acres, the 
two Forest camps (Ambresbury and Loughton) being almost exactly 
of the same size. Its position as a military station is noteworthy. It 
occupies the headland of an elevated plateau, overlooking the deep valley 
