elaborately treated, and illustrated by plans, and by an engraving of the earthworks at Newenden, which the author considers to be the vestiges of Anderida. When, in 1858, I printed a Report on Excavations made upon the site of the Roman Castrum at Pevensey, I overlooked Mr. Holloway's volume, and did not, therefore, refer to it. Indeed I was not then aware of the extent of what had been printed on the subject; but had I been, I doubt if I should have enlarged what I have written. I had not even visited Newenden, not thinking a personal survey of the earthworks necessary. During the present autumn, however, I found time to make a journey of two days across the Weald for that purpose. The exact position is where the river Rother divides Kent from Sussex; at the distance of about two miles from Rolvenden, in a straight line; and about a mile and a half from Newenden village, by Lossenham Manor House. The site is on the border of low meadow ground; and it is evident that, at some remote period, the sea, at high tides, flowed up to and filled a moat, now dry, which runs round the raised ground, called Castle Tolls, supposed to represent Anderida. These earthworks are probably of British origin, and are well adapted

*

I was accompanied by my friend Mr. John Harris, a member of the Society; and our excursion was accelerated by the hospitable attention of Mr. Henry Latter of Harbourne, and of Mr. James Selmes of Lossenham Manor. I have also to record a grateful remembrance to Mr. Rodmell of Hawkhurst, for shielding me from probably fatal results of a violent storm, during a long ride on the outside of an omnibus. The traveller in the Weald, unless he can command time, will often be compelled to recall to mind the days of stage coaches; and he will more clearly see why Shakespeare's "Franklin from the Wild" rested at Rochester on his road to London.

for a position of defence; the elevated mounds affording also the advantage of a good look-out over the wide expanse of low ground, and for raising beacons and signals. For this purpose in all times they must have been important; I only deny the possibility of their having been a Roman station, much less a permanent station, such as Anderida must have been.

The principal mounds cover about an acre and three quarters, exclusive of the moat. Mr. Selmes informs me that, many years since, he had the principal mound dug through to the base, cutting it completely in two; and then he opened another trench, from the centre to the outside, at right angles to the first. He found "no trace either of pottery, coins, or building materials; neither has he ever been able to find anything of the kind near the place. The great mound consisted simply of successive strata of earth, piled one upon the other."

Had the Romans ever occupied this position, for any length of time, there would have been abundant vestiges of their sojourn, such as are found, in some cases, within British oppida, not always of a military character; but here, at Newenden, it has been contended that the Romans not merely settled, but erected, or used, the earthworks, as one of the great stations for a large body of soldiers, on the Saxon shore; a station that must have been a walled castrum, well provided with barracks, and all the conveniences for supporting health and life, and for repelling the cruel rigours of northern winters, so trying and fatal to natives of milder climates. My argumentative position is that, even if the earthworks at Newenden had been of a far more important kind than what they really are, they could never have sheltered Roman soldiers, in winter quarters.

It is remarkable that Camden, and his followers, did not look for Anderida where it is placed in the Notitia, which alone gives the name and index to its position. It stands between Portus Lemanis and Portus Adurnus, which were, the one at Lymne, and the other near Shoreham on the Adur. All of these stations, with the exception of the most southernly, are clearly indicated by existing ruins; and those at Pevensey, which must represent Anderida, are as remarkable as any, from their grandeur and good preservation. Here was placed, according to the Notitia, a numerus of the Abulci, under a commander or præpositus. A numerus does not express any determinate number of men; but there is every reason to believe it indicates fully five hundred, or six hundred, and probably more, which the castrum at Pevensey was fully competent to shelter; but, for such a number, or, indeed, for any number, the earthworks at Newenden were inadequate in every way.

The account of Anderida, given by Henry of Huntingdon, which I have printed in my "Report" referred to above, cannot be admitted as evidence against the claims of Pevensey; but, on the contrary, no other place can be suggested with the slightest confidence. The great Roman castrum must not be subjected to fulfil every assertion made by a writer of so late a date, with imperfect information; but he says nothing, if certain allowance be made, inconsistent with the calamitous fate of Anderida.

BRITISH MOATED OPPIDUM NEAR

STAPLEHURST.

WHEN our Archæological Society met at Cranbrook, in July, 1873, a letter appeared in The South Eastern Gazette calling attention to an apparently unnoticed, yet remarkable, earthwork, in the immediate vicinity of Staplehurst, on the road to Cranbrook. The earthwork remained without further record until the present autumn, when Mr. Humphry Wickham invited me to accompany him to see it.

It is due to the anonymous writer of the letter, to give a portion of his communication, for he is correct in his appreciation of the character of the earthwork, as well as in his knowledge of its features and surrounding facts. He writes:

'When at about Knox Bridge, say at a mile beyond Staplehurst, across the fields to the right, they (the members of the Society) would find, still almost as perfect as when thrown up, an excellent specimen of the moated strongholds of our pre-Roman ancestors. The moat is of about thirty feet wide, and three hundred yards in circumference; the interior is wholly covered with wood, to which the little fortlet probably owes its preservation. It is within a few yards of a branch of the Staplehurst mill stream, from which the moat could be filled. The whole of the excavated earth was thrown up to form the rampart, which is some fifteen feet high. When, some few years since, the moat was cleared out, many of the stump ends of the trees were found, with which the inner edge had been palisaded round, in the manner described by Cæsar and Strabo. These, thus preserved between mud and water, shewed that the palisades had leaned forward over the moat, as they do in a New Zealand pah, or the moated stockade of the Fijian Islanders. (See Williams's Fiji and Fijians.)*

*South Eastern Gazette, July 19th, 1873.

We were fortunate in securing the attendance and assistance of Mr. Foreman of Lovehurst Farm, who pointed out to us the position of the palisades, which he himself had noticed during an exceptionally dry summer. Thirty feet is perhaps too wide a space for the water, even in winter, and I should think twenty would be nearer the real extent. We estimated the breadth on the day of our visit (September 4th, 1879), at about fifteen feet. The interior of this oppidum, or oppidulum, is bowl-shaped, smooth, and symmetrical, apparently, as when constructed. Mr. Foreman assured us that it was entirely without a road over the moat; the present entrance having been made by himself. It must, therefore, have been entered over a bridge of trees or planks, such as could easily have been laid down, and as easily removed. In the same field was a very similar earthwork, but smaller, which was levelled some years since. Our friend, the anonymous writer, expresses a hope that this, yet so perfect, being the property of Saint Bartholomew's Hospital, may be preserved; but the other had like ownership, and that did not save it from destruction.

This fortified dwelling is a rare and valuable addition to the British earthworks in Kent. There may be a few more never yet fully explored and recorded ; but in compactness, size, and good preservation, this may be considered unique.