New-York tribune., 1901-01-13
An ANCIENT BRITISH CAMP.
INTERESTING EXCAVATIONS IN AN IN
CLOSURE NEAR SHEFFIELD.
From The Sheffield Telegraph


The exploration of the encampment at Win
cohank HILL which has been carried out by di-
reCtiOn Of the Museum Committee, Is now com
pleted after nearly two months labors by +.
Howarth curator Of the museum and c. Brad
shaw assisted occasionally by Professor Ander-
son, Or. J. 4. Manton and DR. J. Stokes. We
have recorded from time to time the discover
les made. and il may now be useful to give
brief summary of the work done with general
outline of the results. The camp on Wincobank
Hill, standing as II does on the rldge whlch
overooks two valleys, is a conspicuous land
mark. we'll known hereabOuts the Roman
Camp, and marked on the ordnance survey
map. The form OF the camp is well preserved,
and consists of oval inclosure 100 yards by
1l5 yards surrounded by a clearly defined ram
part about three feet high on its inner face.
sloping down to a ditch outside which is an
other rampant.
had been a place Of residence for some ancient
British tribe, who protected from the In
cursions Of other hostile tribes by the ditch and
ramparts. Such, however, Is quite evidently not
the case, Is shown by the excavations which
have been made. The camp appears to have
simply been place Of refuge TO fly TO in case
of danger. and the people have most likely lived
in huts scattered around the country outside the
camp. The inside of the inclosure shows not the
slightest trace Of habitation, although it
excavated in several different places the ground
being perfectly natural. without any signs Of
ever being disturbed.
Outside the camp. however. one excavation re-
vealed distinct evidence of a hearth that had
long been used, at a depth of from three to four
feet from the present level, and generally bore
evidence of having been the site OF a hut or
course, all trace OF the material Of the hut,
which would consist OF wood and vegetable
hbres, had long since decayed away. This dis
covery was informing to the fact that huts
had existed the hillside. where the ancient
Britons would pursue their daily avoCatOns cu-
tivating the land, so far their primitive i'm
plements would permit and grazing their cat
them the opportunity to discover the approach
of any enemies. and so fee for safety TO the
camp at the top of the hill.
The excavations have revealed very in
teresting features in the construction OF the
camp. Running right round the middle Of the
ditch is a thick rubble wall. carefully put to-
gether, some of the stones weighing over two
hundred pounds, the face Of the bank rising TO
the inner rampant being originally scarped so. as
to make il difficult of ascent. This would he the
first line Of defence the outer rampant being
simply a ridge Of earth, probably thrown up in
making the ditch. The inner rampant. the
other hand, was much more elaborate struct-
ure being formed entirely Of stone well fitted
together without any mortar, its outer face con-
sisting or very large blocks Of stone, with
similar layer of stone the inside, 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 slagiike
material almost suggested smelling operations
though there were no actual traces of such
having been carried on, although here and there
a considerable quantity of charred wood or char
coal was found The stone in most cases had
not been burnt sufficiently TO warrant the as
sumption that it had formed fux in the smelt-
ing Of ores.
Considering the vast extent Of this inner ram
part. which had a depth Of from two feet TO six
feet of stone, being laid on a cleared .rface
which had been dug out, 1t must have taken an
enormous time to build up. The builders would
have fires, which would probably he laid on a
rough hearth of stones gathered together; these
stones by the heat would have become fused
and burned together and the builders moved
along the walled rampant progressed they
would use the remains of the hearths for filling
in the walls. This is likely solution of the
presence of so much Of this ''slag."
There were four openings in the inner ram
part. which probably marked the place Of gates,
corresponding nearly to the four cardinal points
Of the compass, and these distinguished by
the presence Of very large stones the edge Of
the opening
Having thus generally indicated the form and
structure OF the camp, some idea may be gath
cred as to its age. Its position and form would
at once mark il out pre- Roman, and the fact
that none of the stone used in building it
showed any trace of being worked, and the total
absence of mortar, would also mark II not
being Of Roman origin. Further than this.
eral Clipped flints We're found. and some pieces
of jet The former Of these could not be Roman
nor did the Romans make much use of jet
which a favorite substance for personal
ornaments among the ancient Britons On the
other hand, some pieces of undoubted Roman
pottery were found in the ditch. which proved
conclusvely that the Romans had been there
It may therefore be safely assumed that the
camp was formed by tribe or tribes OF ancient
Britons the rampant carefully and laboriousy
built up Of stone taking a long time 10 con-
struct; that they were not seriously molested, so
purposes. and that after it abandoned by
the ancient Britons the Romans also used it.
probably in connection with their station at
Templeborough the two being connected bv
what is known as the Roman rig" which is
really natural ridge, that may have been here
and there strengthened by the Romans.
Although the number of specimens discovered
has not been large there can be no doubt what
ever that the prosecution of the work has been
abundantly justified by the interesting light n
has thrown on the original structure intent and
age OF this camp. thus elucidating in part
page In the very early history of Sheffield Even
though Julius Cesar may not have come TO
Sheffield for his knives yet his soldiers when
they reached the heights of Wincobank would
hnd the flint prototype of our renowned cutting
implements