Archaeologia Cambrensis

and human remains have been found in the ditches. Much of the pottery is undoubtedly Roman and some Romano-British. A small series of bronze coins ranging from the second to the fourth century has also been found.

DEVONSHIRE.-OLD BURROW CAMP, EXMOOR.-Excavations were carried out here last autumn by Mr. W. M. Tapp, LL.D., F.S.A., and Mr. H. St. George Gray. The relics found were very few, chiefly small shards of much weathered pottery, but they also included an uncommon form of an iron axe-adze of a type found on the Continent, although rarely, with remains of the Roman period. The finds generally point to the camp belonging to Romano-British times. The earthworks, which present some unusual features, were thoroughly examined and an elaborate contoured plan was made by Mr. Gray, and several cuttings dug. His illustrated report will appear in the Transactions of the Devonshire Association for 1912.

DORSET. MAUMBURY RINGS, DORCHESTer. - Work here was temporarily suspended last year, but arrangements are being made to carry on excavations for about three weeks from the end of August next.

DURHAM.-HAMSTERLEY.-Mr. Edward Wooler, F.S.A., reports the examination of a camp at Hamsterley, known as "the Castles." It is stated to be built to a large extent on the Roman plan, but with walls of dry stone rubble. It is suggested that it is of British origin, but constructed under Roman influence.

ESSEX.-MERSEA ISLAND. - The Morant Field Club has been examining a barrow at West Mersea and a Roman burial was discovered containing a glass vessel enclosed in a leaden case, now in the Colchester Museum.

HAMPSHIRE.GRIM'S DITCH.-Mr. Heywood Sumner, F.S.A.. has cut two sections across Grim's Ditch, one on Breamore Down, near the "Shoulder of Mutton" clump, where it forms the

boundary between Hampshire and Wiltshire, the other on Damerham Knoll in Hampshire, where it is shown on the Ordnance maps as a continuation of Bokerley Dyke. The main object was to test the theory that it had served as a covered way. In neither section did the floor or sides of the ditch show any signs of use. The only relics found were four very small shards of pottery and a rubber stone at the bottom of the ditch in the second section and two similar shards within the bank. The evidence is insufficient for dating purposes.

SPRING POND ENCLOSURE.-Mr. Sumner also reports that he has been excavating in a large enclosure, described as Romano-British pastoral enclosure, near Spring Pond on Rockbourne Down. An account will be issued hereafter.

HAMPSHIRE. SILCHESTER. Mr. J. B. Karslake has been examining some earthworks at a point known as "the Beeches to the south-east of the eastern gate of the Roman "Calleva." The excavations revealed the eastern entrance through the outer entrenchment at this point and at the same time proved that this outer entrenchment extended to the east of the city, which had hitherto been doubtful. The entrance was flanked by two oval and three circular enclosures, surrounded by earthen banks, the object of which is obscure. A pit was also found in rear of the entrance which may have served as a soakaway. A heavy flint hammer-stone, fragments of Roman tiles, and some shards of coarse pottery were found in the filling of the ditches, etc., and a fragment of the handle of a Roman amphora in the soakaway pit.

LANCASHIRE.--BIRKRIGG.-The "Druid's Circle" at Birkrigg, in the parish of Urswick, near Ulverston, has been excavated by the Rev. C. Gelderd, D.Sc., and Mr. J. Dobson. A double pavement was found beneath the turf and at least four cremation burials, described as Bronze Age, were unearthed, with one of which an earthenware vessel was found. (See Bibliography, Gelderd). A small barrow on Birkrigg was also partly explored and inhumation burials (disturbed) were found.

LEICESTERSHIRE.-KIRKBY MUXLOE.-The ditch of Kirkby Muxloe Castle has been cleared out and the position of the drawbridge discovered.

LINCOLNSHIRE. HORNCASTLE. The Committee have been consulted respecting some earthworks which were being examined by Mr. A. M. Livesey, of Stourton Hall, Horncastle. The attention of Lincolnshire archaeologists was accordingly called to the work, which was visited by several experts. Canon J. Clare Hudson is of opinion that the discoveries included pre-Roman, Roman and monastic remains, but no one who has visited the place has been able to draw any definite conclusions.

NORFOLK.-HEACHAM-ON-SEA.-Mr. Bellerby Lowerison, in conjunction with the Prehistoric Society of East Anglia, proposes this summer to investigate a group of mounds in this parish which may prove to be long barrows. The mounds, which are seven in number, are stated to have been originally 40 yards long.

NORTHUMBERLAND-CORBRIDGE.-Work was again carried on The discoveries included a curious carved slab, probably funereal, various remains of inscriptions and sculptures, and a hoad of 159 gold coins.

last year on the site of Corstopitum.

SOMERSET.-BATH.-The Bath and District branch of the

Somersetshire Archaeological

Society has
Society has carried out several

excavations during the year. Besides the discovery of various interments in the neighbourhood, several barrows on Lansdown were examined. A Roman inhabited site was also discovered in the same locality near the camp above Northstoke, and a cutting made in this camp disclosed an apparent well.

Except for the above, exploration work in the county is reported to be at present confined to Glastonbury Abbey and Meare Lake Village.

SURREY.-CHELSHAM.-Cuttings were made last year by the Croydon Natural History and Scientific Society in some earthworks

in Henley Wood, Chelsham, not shown on the Ordnance maps. (See report for 1911.) Many fragments of medieval pottery were found and, as the enclosure contained a well in which tiles, etc., were discovered, there may have been an occupied building in mediæval times, probably of wood. No foundations, however, have

so far been found. The clearing out of the well, 140 feet deep, gave results of some value, as the last few feet of the filling were damp and appeared to have been deposited in water. The general waterlevel of the district is now very much lower than this. Pottery, probably thirteenth century, and the iron tip of a crossbow bolt were found at the bottom. These earthworks present many unusual features, which the Committee would like to see examined. Apart from the purely earthworks point of view, such an examination might conceivably throw light on the origin and object of an entrenchment which is at present a riddle.

SUSSEX. SELSEY.-Excavations were carried out in 1911 at a circular earthwork at Selsey, consisting of a vallum and ditch, apparently meant to protect the entrance to the harbour. The stratum on which the vallum rests was found to contain pottery not only of the Roman period, but also of a type considered to be fourteenth century, or later. The evidence points to the truth of the local tradition that the work was thrown up at the time of the threatened Spanish invasion in 1588.

WESTMORLAND.-HEAVES.-An enclosure and late-Celtic tumulus have been excavated by Professor I. McKenny Hughes, F.R.S. (See Bibliography, Hughes.)

WILTSHIRE.-AVEBURY.-No excavation work has been done here this year, but in April and May last Mr. H. St. George Gray was engaged on a survey plan, worked to the scale of 40 feet to 1 inch. The plan, which is some 6 feet square, will show when finished the exact form of the earthworks and the relative position of all the remaining stones. Excavation work at Avebury will probably be resumed next spring.

CASTERLEY CAMP.-Mr. and Mrs. B. H. Cunnington

continued their excavations at Casterley Camp, on Salisbury Plain, and hope to finish them this year.

ALL CANNINGS.-Some trenching was done by Mr. and Mrs. Cunnington last summer on an inhabited site near All Cannings. Much interesting pottery of late-Celtic type was found.

has yet been published.

No report

OLD SARUM.-The excavations being conducted here by

the Society of Antiquaries were continued.

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