C O N G R E S S O F A R C H A E O L O G I C A L S O C I E T I E S

IN UNION WITH

T H E S O C I E T Y O F A N T I Q U A R I E S O F L O N D O N .

S C H E M E

FOR RECORDING

ANCIENT DEFENSIVE EARTHWORKS AND

FORTIFIED ENCLOSURES.

1903.

C O M M I T T E E F O R R E C O R D I N G

ANCIENT DEFENSIVE EARTHWORKS AND

FORTIFIED ENCLOSURES.

L O R D B A L C A R R E S , M . P . , F . S . A . , Chairman. W . J . A N D R E W , F . S . A . F . H A V E R F I E L D , F . S . A . , M A .

F . W . A T T R E E ( L t . - C o l . R . E . ) , W . H . S T . J . H O P E , M . A . F . S . A .

B O Y D D A W I C I N S ( P r o f . ) , F . R . S . , J . H O R A C E R O U N D , M . A . F .S .A .

S I R J O H N E V A N S , K . C . B . , F . R . S . , O . E . R U C K (Lt.-Col. R E . ) ,

V . P . S . A . F . S . A . S c .

A . R . G O D D A R D , B . A . W . M . T A P P , L L . D .

B E R T R A M C . A . W I N D L E (Prof.), F . R . S . , F . S . A .

I . C H A L K L E Y G O U L D , Hon. Sec.

{Royal Societies' Club, St. James's Street, London.)

EXTRACT from the Report of the Provisional Committee to

the Congress of Archaeological Societies :—

"There is need, not only for schedules such as this Committee is appointed to secure, but also for active antiquaries in all parts of the country to keep keen watch over ancient fortifications of earth and stone, and to endeavour to prevent their destruction by the hand of man in this utilitarian age."

S C H E M E

FOR RECORDING

ANCIENT DEFENSIVE EARTHWORKS AND

FORTIFIED ENCLOSURES.

»

AT the Congress of the Archaeological Societies, held on July ioth, 1901, a Committee was appointed to prepare a

scheme for a systematic record of ANCIENT D E F E N S I V E EARTHWORKS AND FORTIFIED ENCLOSURES.

It was suggested that the secretaries of the various archaeological societies, and other gentlemen likely to be interested in the subject, should be pressed to prepare schedules of the works in their respective districts, in the hope that lists may eventually be published.

It is believed that the schedules will not only be of value to archaeologists and antiquaries, but may serve to interest landowners, members of County, Borough, and District Councils, and others, in these neglected but priceless memorials of the past.

As the opportunities to use their influence towards the preser-vation of antiquities must increase, the importance of securing the co-operation of County, Borough, and District Councils is manifest, and their efforts would be largely directed and aided by such lists as the Committee hopes to secure.

A 2

The ground has been, to some extent, covered by the useful archaeological maps of the Society of Antiquaries, and by lists of early forts recorded in some volumes of the Victoria County Histories (now in course of publication); both together, however, cover but a limited portion of the country, and neither work is so generally accessible as it is hoped the Committee's schedules will be.

Not to court failure by attempting too much the Committee suggests that—

1. The lists should be confined to defensive works, omitting burial barrows and boundary banks.

2. Though careful record should be made of any " finds" indicative of period of use of the forts, no effort need be made to assign a definite period of construction, excepting in those cases in which the age is beyond question, e.g. camps and fortified settlements of undoubted Roman origin, or enclosures of proved Neolithic, Bronze, or Iron age.

It is proposed that defensive works be classified, so far as may be, under the following heads :—

A. Fortresses partly inaccessible, by reason of precipices, cliffs, or water, additionally defended by artificial banks or walls.

B. Fortresses on hill-tops with artificial defences, following the natural line of the hill;

Or, though usually on high ground, less dependent on natural slopes for protection.

c. Rectangular or other simple enclosures, including forts and towns of the Romano-British period,

i). Forts consisting only of a mount with encircling ditch or fosse.

E. Fortified mounts, either artificial or partly natural, with traces of an attached court or bailey, or of two or more such courts.

F. Homestead moats, such as abound in some lowland districts, consisting of simple enclosures formed into artificial islands by water moats.

G. Works which fall under none of these headings.

3

CLASS A.

Fortresses partly inaccessible, by reason of precipices, cliffs or water, additionally defended by artificial banks or walls,

e.g.—Comb Moss, Derbyshire.* Old Castle Head, Pembrokeshire. Treryn Dinas (Logan Rock), Cornwall. Doward Hill, near Monmouth. Dike Hills, Dorchester, Oxfordshire. Cleeve Camp, Gloucestershire.*

* See plans on following pages.

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CLASS B.

Fortresses on hill-tops with artificial defences, following the natural line of the hill,

e.g.—Mam Tor, Derbyshire.* Cadbury (near Wincanton), Somersetshire. Hambledon Hill, Dorsetshire. Hembury, Devonshire. Cissbury, Sussex. Badbury Rings, Dorsetshire.* Maiden Castle, Dorset.

Or, though usually on high ground, less dependent on natural slopes for protection,

e.g.—Ambresbury Banks, Essex.* Yarnbury, Wiltshire.* The Auberys (Redborne), Herts. Hunsbury, near Northampton.*

The entrance ways to early hill-forts were frequently rendered difficult of approach, sometimes circuitous as at Ardoch, dangerous as at Comb Moss, or involved as at the east and west ends of Maiden Castle.* Such entrance ways should be carefully noted.

* See plans on following pages.

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The section is copied from Essex Field Club Transactions, 1881.

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CLASS C.

Rectangular or other simple enclosures, including forts and towns of the Romano-British period,

e.g.—Melandra, Derbyshire.* Silchester, Hampshire. Ratby, Leicestershire.* Caerleon, Monmouthshire. Wareham, Dorsetshire. Richboro', Kent. Woodcuts, Cranborne Chase, Dorsetshire. Porchester, Hampshire.

* See plans on following page.

In some cases, as at Silchester and Porchester, the earthen defences have been strengthened by the addition of a wall and towers of masonry.

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CLASS D.

Forts consisting only of a mount with encircling ditch or fosse,

e.g.—Bures Mount, Essex.* The Mount, Caerleon. Clifford's Hill, Northamptonshire.*

* See plans on following page.

In some cases, forts, apparently of this class, may be incomplete examples of Class E, which once possessed, but have lost the attached courts or baileys.

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CLASS E

Fortified mounts, either artificial or partly natural, with traces of an attached court or bailey, or of two or more such courts,

e.g.—Hallaton, Leicestershire.* Laughton, Yorkshire. Berkhampstead, Herts. Ongar, Essex.* Dingestow, Monmouthshire.* Powerstock, Dorsetshire. Merdon Castle, Hampshire. Hedingham, Essex.* Corfe, Dorsetshire.

* See plans on following pages.

In some cases, earthworks have, in later times, been obscured, or strengthened by the substitution of masonry and buildings for the original timber defences, as at Windsor, Carisbrooke, Arundel, Berkhampstead, Norwich, Castle Acre, Corfe, &c.

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CLASS F.

Homestead moats, such as abound in some lowland districts, consisting of simple enclosures formed into artificial islands by water moats,

e.g.—Botelers, Basildon, Essex.* Cubley, Derbyshire.* Old Hall, Denby, Derbyshire.*

"See plans on following page.

Homestead moats occasionally have traces of a rampart, usually on the inner side of the ditch. This should be mentioned, also the shape of the enclosure (circular, rectangular, &c.). A note should be made of examples in which channels divide the enclosure into two or more islands, and of those which are provided with an outer moat (generally narrower) at some distance, enclosing a considerable area round the homestead.

21

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N.B.

In every case in which masonry is used for defence, whether wholly or in part, or as an inside wall to the rampart, or as the rampart itself, the fact should be mentioned.

The existence of mounds or tumuli entirely within defensive enclosures should be noted.

When a fortress is provided with more than one rampart or wall, the fact should be recorded, as also when the enclosed area is divided by transverse banks. It should also be noted whether such additional ramparts or their ditches are intermittent or continuous, and whether the entrances are direct or of a tortuous character.

It is specially desired that the position of each work be indicated by noting the number of the sheet of the O. S. (6-inch scale) in which it appears, and by giving the name of the nearest town or village.

Plans traced from the 25-inch O. S. maps should, if possible, be sent. Ramparts and ditches should be clearly indicated, as in the accompanying illustrations, as well as the O. S. levels, and accurate sections will be of great service. Precipices, as at Comb Moss, and abrupt slopes, as at Mam Tor, should be indicated as shewn on the accompanying plans, and named.

Although lists of all defensive earthworks and enclosures will be welcomed, it is to be borne in mind that plans and sections of them, based upon personal examination, are particularly desired.

Though not strictly within the scope of this enquiry, it is suggested that all medifeval castles should be included in the schedules, since many of them originated in earthworks of Class E.

Assistance will be duly recorded in the report which the Committee hopes to present to a future Congress of Archteological Societies.

H A R R I S O N A N D S O N S , P R I N T E R S I N O R D I N A R Y T O H I S M A J E S T Y , S T . M A R T I N ' S L A N E , W . C .