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Danes' Dike.

BY THE REV. E. MAULE COLE, M.A., F.G.S.

HIS remarkable entrenchment, thrown up by a

TE race which has long since passed away, but

whose records are still preserved in the vast number of tumuli and entrenchments scattered over the Yorkshire Wolds, extends from sea to sea across the precipitous promontory which forms the northern shore of Bridlington Bay.

Its length is about two miles and a half, cutting off a triangular-shaped area of high ground, whose apex terminates near the modern lighthouse at Flamborough, at a distance of three miles. Throughout its southern extension the Dike follows the eastern bank of a deep ravine, hollowed out by a stream descending in an ancient valley from the neighbourhood of Bempton. The valley itself is pre-glacial. During the ice age it was filled up with boulder-clay and drift, which in turn has been re-excavated in more recent times. In this part of its course, therefore, the great strength of the entrenchment as a means of defence against attack from the west is derived from natural features. It is otherwise as regards its northern half. Here the ground was comparatively level to begin with, and therefore a vast ditch was excavated, some sixty feet wide and twenty feet deep in places, the material being thrown up on the eastern side to constitute the rampart. As this latter rises from sixteen to eighteen feet above the natural surface of the ground, it is manifest that a steep embankment of at least thirtyfive feet in height would have to be surmounted before a successful assault could be delivered. Even with modern weapons it presents a most formidable obstacle

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Danes' Dike.

BY THE REV. E. MAULE COLE, M.A., F.G.S.

HIS remarkable entrenchment, thrown up by a

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race which has long since passed away, but whose records are still preserved in the vast number of tumuli and entrenchments scattered over the Yorkshire Wolds, extends from sea to sea across the precipitous promontory which forms the northern shore of Bridlington Bay.

Its length is about two miles and a half, cutting off a triangular-shaped area of high ground, whose apex terminates near the modern lighthouse at Flamborough, at a distance of three miles. Throughout its southern extension the Dike follows the eastern bank of a deep ravine, hollowed out by a stream descending in an ancient valley from the neighbourhood of Bempton. The valley itself is pre-glacial. During the ice age it was filled up with boulder-clay and drift, which in turn has been re-excavated in more recent times. In this part of its course, therefore, the great strength of the entrenchment as a means of defence against attack from the west is derived from natural features. It is otherwise as regards its northern half. Here the ground was comparatively level to begin with, and therefore a vast ditch was excavated, some sixty feet wide and twenty feet deep in places, the material being thrown up on the eastern side to constitute the rampart. As this latter rises from sixteen to eighteen. feet above the natural surface of the ground, it is manifest that a steep embankment of at least thirtyfive feet in height would have to be surmounted before a successful assault could be delivered. Even with modern weapons it presents a most formidable obstacle

journey to the other world he expected to find; n not to this be added some unconjecturable reasc sacrifice for one small body being burnt?

Of the two bodies on the surface of the chalk, covered by the mound, were they humbler relative adherents buried in his barrow in after years, perh being laid in honour near his illustrious dust? may it not be hazarded that they were of his tribe slaves or not-and slaughtered at his obsequies th they might guard the great one on his drear passa forward?

The bones were left in the place in which they wer found. The three vases and the flint implements an chips were handed by Mr. Ralph Creyke to Mr Mortimer in trust for the society until such time as it has a museum. The vases have been skilfully repaired by the latter gentleman, whose daughters have kindly made the sketches from which the illustrations have been prepared.

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