A HISTORY OF DERBYSHIRE ""/<= ~ > recently the Manchester Classical Association has endeavoured to initiate a systematic uncovering of the fort. The fort was a rectangular oblong, measuring about 380 by 355 feet, and containing inter- nally not quite three acres (fig. 17). It was defended by a rampart and at least on its south and east sides by a fosse. The rampart did not con- sist of stone like that of Brough, but of a stone facing, backed by rubble and boulder clay taken probably from the fosse. The facing, about two feet in thickness, was of excellent coursed ma- sonry, and near the north-east corner con- tained an inscribed centurial stone. The rubble, thickest at the ground level, made a backing of 4 or 5 feet, and the earth added another 15 feet. No inner facing of stone could be found. Such
FIG. 17. MELANDRA, AS EXCAVATED IN 1899. (Derbyshire drch<eohgcal Journal.) a rampart is unusual, and may possibly be earlier in date than the commoner wall of stone which encircles Brough. Four gateways can be distinguished. The eastern one, opened in 1899, had two flanking guard-chambers, and an entrance 20 feet wide, probably divided into two (INSIDE OF FORT) Clay &c. EASTERN FEET 5 O cr LU -j u c Q GATEWAY 10 20 Masonry FIG. 1 8. 212
