ANCIENT EARTHWORKS hill, and consists of a well-pronounced rampart and outer fosse on the east, south, and west sides, and a more complicated and disturbed arrangement on the north side. The nearly circular form is due to the shape of the hill, and the works simply follow the line where more or less level tableland ends and steep slope commences ; whilst the more elaborate works on the northern side are obviously due to the more gentle slope and greater accessibility on that side. General Pitt- Rivers, in referring to the defensive works of this camp, writes : ' The ramparts of these intrenchments were intended not so much to give cover to the defenders or as an obstacle to the assailants, but rather to give the defenders a command over the outside of the work. It is probable that the defenders stood upon the banks and threw their darts and other missiles over a palisade or an abatis at the approaching enemy. ' On those sides where the natural slope of the hill gave all the command that could be desired, artificial banks of any great height were unnecessary, and the defence was .,„ probably limited to a stockade or an abatis ^..^n^u,:,!""""""" 'rymuiu, on those sides. This is the only way of ac- *<^**3!"!r!l'I'^v'(i;;^^ counting for the total absence of earthworks •'^" /^^'-"""'"'"^^ in some points of a line of intrenchments, !?■ .^/ ,>., sr» where a natural decHvity presents itself, and where the line of fortification could not certainly have been regarded as com- plete or inaccessible without some additional ^^,^^orTz^l^'?Svr'^^ defence.' ° — ' ' " '"° ' "° The camp at Mount Caburn has two ^^""^'^ Ck^vk^. entrances. That on the north-east is strengthened by the rampart being thrown back on each side of the opening in a re-entering angle so as to command and flank the passage across the fosse which is over an embanked causeway. There are three circles, possibly the huts of an advanced guard, placed outside this opening, which were clearly intended to serve as part of the defence of the entrance. The other gateway or entrance to the camp was on the north-west side, leading in the direction of another earthwork, known as Ranscombe Camp, presently to be noticed. Within the camp at Mount Caburn there were traces of upwards of fifty pits, probably the sites of dwellings, but these are not now very distinct. They were perhaps destroyed during the explorations here, the results of which clearly proved that, whatever may have been the period of the first construction of the camp, it was a stronghold of considerable importance during the Late Celtic period. Neolithic chips of flint have been found in some abundance scattered in the vicinity of the camp, but outside rather than within its boundaries. Ranscombe Camp. — This interesting work is situated about 500 yards to the west of Mount Caburn. It cuts across the hill and faces Mount Caburn, having a ditch on its east side. Although it looks insignificant when mapped, and indeed shows but indiff^erently 459 ^ .. ^ %'r
