The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-27

e their elevated position would give
them the opportunity to discover the aF-
preach of any enemies and SO flee for
safety to the camp at the top of the bill.
The excavations have revealed some
very interesting features in the construc-
tion of the camp. Running right round
he middle OF the ditcn is a thick rubble
wall, carefully put together. some of the
stones weighing over 200 poInds. the face
of the bank rising to the inner rampant
being originally scraped 50 as to make
it difficult of ascent. This would be the
first line of defence the outer rampant
being simply ridge of earth. probably
thrown up in making the ditch. The in
ner rampant. on the other hand.
much more elaborate structure. being
formed entirely of stone. well fitted to-
gether without any mortar. its outer face
consisting of very large block of stone.
with a similar layer of stone on the in
side. the middle filled with rubble. and
what looked like Stag but was really
fused and burnt sandstone. The presence
of such large quantities of this sIaglike
ma -crial almost suggested smelling ope-
Tations. though there were no actual
traces Of such having been carried. on
although nere and there a considerable
quantity CT charred wood and charcoal
was found. Tho stone in most cases had
not been burnt sufficiently to warrant
the assumption that it had formed fux
in the smelling OF ores
Considering the vast extent Of! this inner
rampant. which had depth of from two
ieet to six feet of stone. being laid OH a
cleared surface which had been dug out
II must have taken an enormous time to
build up. The builders would have fires
which would probably be laid on a rough
hearth OF stones gathered together: these
aN NTfa hR~s 4,
ed and burned together. and as the Id
ers moved along as the walled rampant
progressed they would use the remains of
the hearths for filling In the walls This
I is a likely solution of the presence of so
much of this Stag"
There were four openings in the inner
rampant. which probably marked the place
OF gates. corresponding nearly to the four
cardinal points OF the compass and these
were distinguished by the presence of very
large stones on the edge of the opening
Having thus generally indicated the
form and structure of the camp, some
idea may be gathered as to It's age. Its
position and form would al once mark it
out as pre-Roman. and the fact that none
Of the stone used in building it showed
any trace of being worked. and the total
absence CT mortar. would also mark 1t
out as not being of Roman origin. Furth-
er than this. several Clipped fints were
found. and some pieces of Jet The form
or CT these could not be Roman. nor did
the Romans make use OF jet which was
favorite substance for personal orna-
ments among the ancient Britons On
the other hand. some pieces Of undoubted
Roman pottery were found in the ditch
which proved conclusively that the Ro-
mans had been there. 1t may. therefore,
be safely assumed that the camp was
formed by tribe or tribes of ancient
Britons. the rampant carefully and Iabori-
ous!y built up n stone taking a long
time 20 construct: that they were not Sc
riously molested. so had not to use the
camp much for defensive purposes. and
that after 1t was abandoned by the an
Gent Britons the Romans also used il,
probably in connection with their station
at Templeborcugh the two being con-
nected by what is known as the Roman
rig, which is really a natural ridge, hat
may have been here and there strength
ened by the Romans
Although the number of specimens dis
covered has not been large there can be
doubt whatever that the prosecution OF
the work has been abundantly justified
by the interesting light It has thrown on
the original structure. intent. and age of
this camp, thus Calculating in part a page
in the very early history of Sheffield. Even
though Julius Caesar may not have come
to Sheffield for his knives. yet his SOL
dierS. when they reached the heights of
Nincobank. would find the flint prototype
OF our renowned cutting implements.