Supposed Roman Camp at Octon. (Plate xxi.)

Abstract

These earthworks being in very old grass are, except the west end, in excellent preservation; but had the ground ever been under the plough, no trace of the ditch and two ramparts would now have been visible, and future excavations would only have discovered the filled-in trenches. The present appearance is that of two nearly square contiguous camps. They are situated on the north side of the Roman road to the coast, in a rather sheltered and secluded place, which is somewhat unusual for a Roman camp. This camp cannot be seen until closely approached, yet sentinals placed on elevated ground a few paces away would be able to see the advance of an enemy for a considerable distance all round, and quickly signal to the defenders within. The form of this camp is shown on the plan (fig. 1). Its most eastern portion is quite perfect, and measures 80 yards by 68 yards internally, whilst its western and somewhat larger portion is not so perfect. The west end of this division of the camp is obliterated by the foundations of old buildings, which at one time stood upon it. This camp possesses a very uncommon feature. Its main and probably only entrance, unless there was one in the west end, now obliterated, seems to have been by a deep sunk way entering its southern side through the outer rampart into the ditch, and continuing across the camp as far as the northern side ditch, thus cutting it into two ...