Page:VCH Derbyshire 1.djvu/482

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A HISTORY OF DERBYSHIRE The earthworks at Pilsbury have many points in common with those of Mexborough, 1 though not so well defined. Mr. Andrew, who has given much attention to this earthwork, considers it to be ' a typical mount and bailey work.' 14. THE BURIES (Ivii. 2) is the suggestive name of a remarkable earthwork in Canons Meadows, which used to belong to the priory of Repton, between the once double courses of the Trent, just below the bridge to Willington. It is a rectangular enclosure measuring on the north side 226 feet, on the south 205 feet, on the east 157 feet, and on the west 164 feet. It is described by Mr. Hipkins, F.S.A., as 'a curious parallelogram of raised earth which is supposed to be the remains of a Roman camp, called Repandunum by Stebbing Shaw, the historian of Staffordshire, but he gives no proof for the assertion Within the four embankments are two rounded mounds, and parallel with the south side are two inner ramparts, only one parallel with north. It is supposed by some to be " a sacred area surrounding tumuli." The local name for it is " The Buries." In my opinion it was raised and used by the Danes, who in A.D. 874 visited Repton, and destroyed it before they left in A.D. 875.' * 15. In CASTLE WOOD (xxxvi. 9), near Range Farm, about a mile to the east of South Nor- manton, is a rectangu- lar moated enclosure having a square of about 225 feet from the outer side of the trench. In the centre is a small raised mound, and there is a larger mound close to it on the north-west. It seems to have been some form of an early defensive work, altered in mediaeval days. It would probably repay exploration. It is termed 'Moat' on the Ordnance Survey map, but is certainly not to be included under Home- stead Moats. 1 1), on the high ground in the Norman occupation of this site. SCALE OFFEET OO ftOO 3OO CASTLE WOOD. 1 6. The name BOROUGH HILL (lix. parish of Walton-on-Trent, points to pre- 1 Jour*. Brit. Arch. Assoc. N.S. x. 39 ; Clark's Medieval Castles, i. 25.

  • Repton and its Neighbourhood (znd ed. 1899), p. 3 ; on pi. iv. is a ground plan. Mr. Andrew

thinks a Danish ninth-century origin for this earthwork is probably correct. 386