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45

NOTES ON THE ANCIENT ENTRENCHMENTS IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF . BY REV. E. MAULE COLE, M.A. In 1882 Major-General Pitt-Rivers published the paper read by him the previous year before the British Association at York, on the Earthworks of the Wolds, with a map illustrating the dis• trict referred to. The accompanying map is drawn to show the mass of entrench• ments, lying further to the West and South, untouched by the paper above mentioned. By his excavations in the earthwork, commonly called Danes Dike, at Flamborough, Major-General Pitt-Rivers has established the fact that that famous entrenchment was constructed by a people who used flint weapons, and apparently had no know• ledge of bronze. He expresses an opinion that the tumuli and entrenchments on the Wolds are of a similar age ; but, quoting Canon Greenwell's authority, he goes on to observe that the tumuli were raised by a people in the early bronze phase of civilization, as bronze knife-daggers and celts of an early type had been found in them. This may be true of some other area, but not of the one before you, which contains some 300 British barrows, opened by Mr. J. R. Mortimer, in none of which was any bronze found. The tumuli and entrenchments were doubtless to a certain extent contemporaneous, though instances can be pointed out where an entrenchment has evidently been diverted for the purpose of avoiding a tumulus. If, therefore, any preference as to age must be given, it should be in favour of the tumuli. The entrenchments are not all of the same kind ; some are merely tracks running along the brow of a steep dale, hollowred out originally to a depth of four or five feet, the earth thrown up on the lower side forming a slight rampart ; these are mostly filled up now. Then there is the single dike, a mound (dike) with a ditch ; and frequently " double dikes," two parallel mounds with corresponding ditches ; and in several places three mounds ; at Garrowby and Millington Lings four mounds, and at Huggate no less than five. These latter will be described later on. Downloaded from http://pygs.lyellcollection.org/ at University of Iowa on June 9, 2015

The above entrenchments serve to cut off promontories to connect the heads of dales, or else to fortify the water-parting, occasionally to afford access to springs, and apparently to supply lines of communi• cation with the coast on the high ground ; but, as a rule, they do not enclose any particular area as a fortified post. is an exception, and probably Aldro, and one or two other points. As a rule they run down the sides of dales, but do not cross the bottom. There are, however, exceptions, as e.g. the double dikes at Fimber. It is very rare for an entrenchment to be carried along a dale bottom, but there are a few instances, as at Backdale, pointing for Aldro. A great many of the entrenchments marked on the map were determined by the Ordnance Survey, but numerous additions have been made by personal observation carried on for the last twenty years. After the inclosure of the Wolds at the beginning of the present century, the land was brought into cultivation, with the result that many of the old entrenchments were destroyed by the plough. The site of such may still be traced by an experienced eye, though the process of identification is sometimes slow. For instance, in a field of oats just before harvest, a couple of parallel green lines may be seen, whilst all the rest is turning brown. The surface soil is perhaps perfectly level, no sign whatever of an entrenchment. One has to wait four years before taking another observation, or, if cir• cumstances are not favourable, perhaps eight or twelve years. Then, if the green lines re-appear in identically the same direction, it may be confidently asserted that the greener corn is growing in the filled- up ditches of an old entrenchment. In this way field has to be linked with field till the restoration is complete. And here another guide steps in, for in the hedgerows a rounded elevation may often be seen in the otherwise level outline of the top of the hedge. When the hedges were first planted at the inclosure the mounds were then in existence, and the hedges ran over them. All has been ploughed level since in the open field, but the hedge protects the portion of mound under it, and, in a district where the hedges are so neatly trimmed as on the Wolds, the eye can readily catch the rounded line of hummocks in one hedgerow after another. Again in turnip fields, white lines of chalk may occasionally be traced marking the debris of the ploughed-down dike or rampart. Downloaded from http://pygs.lyellcollection.org/ at University of Iowa on June 9, 2015

COLE : ANCIENT ENTRENCHMENTS NEAR WETWANG. 47

By a reference to the map it will be seen that there are three prominent groups of entrenchments, viz., at Aldro, Garrowby Hill, and Fimber ; whilst three long lines start from the Western brow of the Wolds, and are continued for miles in the direction of Flam- borough. The eastern extremities of two of these are figured in the map of Major-General Pitt-Rivers, one terminating above Wold Newton, the other above Butterwick, in the Great Wold Valley. The western extension of the former is shown in the map (PI. I.) passing through , Fimber, and Fridaythorpe, and probably connecting with Garrowby Hill; that of the latter is continued in its westerly course from above Lutton to Burdale, and may have joined on to Aldro. A third line not alluded to by the General started from opposite Millington, and was carried by Huggate Dikes to Wetwang ; thence to the monument erected to the late Sir Tatton Sykes, and on by Kilham to . All three lines are more or less connected by branch dikes, and present a remarkable net• work of fortifications such as can hardly be found in any other part of . I use the word " fortification" because General Pitt- Rivers, looking at the eastern portion of them with the eye of a soldier, has pronounced them admirably adapted for defence against hostile attack from the North West, and thinks that they were prin• cipally constructed for that purpose. He adds that in the part which he examined he " found no well-defined example of a dike which appeared to have been thrown up as a defence against the east side." In the western portion now before you this latter statement can hardly be sustained, for the " single dike" at Fimber, with its ditch outside, is clearly a, defence against the south east. The same may be said of the " double dike" running past the monument to Dale, which crosses to the northern side of a lateral dale, and defends an approach from . At first sight the long line of entrenchments stretching from Millington to Wetwang, and again from Foxcover to Wetwang, as also from Fimber to Sledmere and Fimber to Life Hill, seem to favour the view of defence from the North West; but I am inclined to think that the nature of the ground had a great deal to do with the position of the entrenchments in these localities, for the northern and Downloaded from http://pygs.lyellcollection.org/ at University of Iowa on June 9, 2015

48 COLE : ANCIENT ENTRENCHMENTS NEAR WETWANG, western sides of the dales are much steeper and loftier than the opposite sides, which gradually slope away, and the impression left on my mind is that the steeper sides were fortified as a defence against an enemy advancing up the dale bottoms, whether from east or west. In every case the defenders would have the advantage of the higher ground. If this view is correct it will partly account, for the strong position at Fimber, which guards the entrance leading up to the curiously ramifying dales above, whether in the direction of Thixendale or Sledmere, and also for the entrenchments which cross the dales leading up to Huggate, and Huggate Bikes from the east. Fimber appears to have been strongly fortified on all sides. The area enclosed is about one mile in length by half a mile in breadth. A plan, with sections of the dikes, was published by the Rev. T. Wiltshire* in the year 1862, with the assistance of Mr. It. Mortimer, of Fimber. Coming now to Huggate Dikes, it may be confidently affirmed that they are, with the exception of the so-called Danes Dike, the most remai'kable entrenchments on the Wolds. They consist of five parallel ramparts running across the table-land or water-parting at the head of two dales, one of which slopes eastward to Wetwang and Driffield, the other south west to Millington and . From a map published by Dr, Burton, of York, in 1745, it is clear that they then existed from one dalehead to the other, a distance of half a mile, but a large portion has since been ploughed down, though distinctly visible to a trained eye. The part which still remains intact is in a grass field, called Huggate Pasture, forming a portion of the Rector's glebe. I am happy to be able to state that the pre• sent Rector, the Rev. J. R. Jolley, of Her Majesty's household, pro• poses to take steps to prevent any further destruction of these interesting antiquities. The length of the existing western portion is 220 yards. It is divided into two parts by an original opening or gangway about 100 yards from the west end. I was at one time in doubt whether this passage had not been cut through the dikes at some later date, but repeated examination of the ground has con• vinced me that the ramparts were intentionally terminated at this point, so as to admit of a level passage through. * Proceedings Geological Association, 1862 Downloaded from http://pygs.lyellcollection.org/ at University of Iowa on June 9, 2015

COLE : ANCIENT ENTRENCHMENTS NEAR WETWANG. 49

The dikes are not strictly parallel ; they are somewhat wider at the west end than at the east, and are only approximately straight, The following are the measured distances from the top of one ridge to the top of the next, going from south to north :— At centre of West end ... 36 ft. 29 ft. 28 ft. 33 ft. East „ ...29 ft. 27 ft. 25 ft. 32 ft. Counting the external ditches the extreme width at the west point of measurement is 193 ft., at the east 145 ft. As Dr. Burton, who made careful measurements in 1745, gives the width as 219 ft., it is possible that an outside rampart existed on one or both sides, which has since been destroyed by the plough. The two dales, whose extremities terminate at Huggate Dikes, are of great depth, as much as 200 ft., and the sides are very steep. The high ground between is the only level piece on the Wolds on this line, and here would be concentrated any hostile attack whether from north or south. Hence the great strength of the entrenchments at this point. Were the entrenchments on the Wolds the work of the Britons or of the Romans ? I have no hesitation in saying of the former ; for one reason, and that a good one, that there is not a straight line amongst the whole lot. They may look straight on paper, but not on the ground itself. Dr. Burton, in 1745, spent a great deal of time and money in preparing his map. It embraces the district round Millington, because he wTas persuaded that the long lost Delgovitia, a station mentioned in the itinerary of Antonine as lying between York and Prretorium, was at Millington. In support of his view he claims all the eartlrworks at Garrowby and Huggate as Roman works, and more marvellous still, all the tumuli as Roman barrows ! The tumuli are without exception British. Such being his views we need not be surprised at finding on his map the Huggate Dikes, half a mile long, ruled as straight and exactly parallel, as Euclid could desire ; whereas, as a matter of fact, they are quite the reverse. In my opinion the Romans attacked the hardy Brigantes of the Wolds on two sides, from York and from Malton, and a good many entrenchments may have been constructed by the natives during the long-continued fighting which doubtless went on then. The Romans had the best Downloaded from http://pygs.lyellcollection.org/ at University of Iowa on June 9, 2015

50 COLE : ANCIENT ENTRENCHMENTS NEAR WETWANG,

of it, and drove their roads right through some of the strongest points of vantage, so as the better to keep their enemies in subjection. Hence the roads from Malton to Londesborough, and from York to the coast, which cross on the top of Garrowby Hill. Also the road from Malton to , which crosses the said road from York to the coast at Fimber, This junction is very instructive. The York road passed through the centre of the entrenched camp, and made for the " double dikes" at the eastern side ; whilst the Malton road destroyed part of the northern " double dikes," and completely severed the eastern extension. The three roads above mentioned all bear the name of High Street. The ancient British road from York to the coast also ascended Garrowby Hill, and was apparently utilized by the Romans as far as within two or three miles of Fridaythorpe, when the roads diverged, the Roman road passing by Sledmere to Brid• lington, the British track passing by Holnifield and Wetwang to the Monument, and on to Kilham and Bridlington. The latter seems to have been protected by ramparts a great part of the way. It is interesting to note that this ancient track forms the boundary for every parish between York and Bridlington. I do not mean the present green lane, because that only dates from the inclosure, but the line of entrenchments. Just to give one example there is a long- narrow strip between the green lane and the entrenchments on the Sledmere side, comprising seven acres, but this strip does not belong- to the parish of Sledmere, but to Wetwang. A similar feature may be pointed out in the parishes of Garton and Kilham. It does not appear then that the Romans had any fixed station in the area of my map, unless it be Fimber. It is just possible that after subduing the district, the Romans extended the old British works by making the " single dike" on the south side, known as Croom Dyke, a section of which is given by Mr. Wiltshire. The position would command both roads, that to Malton and that to York. The view from the hill top, Fimber Field, is most extensive, especially to the south and east. In this case Fimber may be the lost Delgovitia, as already suggested by Knox* and Phillips.f As far as distances are concerned, it agrees exactly with the miles given

* Eastern Yorkshire. f Yorkshire, Downloaded from http://pygs.lyellcollection.org/ at University of Iowa on June 9, 2015

COLE ; ANCIENT ENTRENCHMENTS NEAR WETWANG. 51

by Autoniue, and repeated by Richard of Cirencester, where Derventio is given as VII Roman miles from York, and Delgovitia XIII from Derventio, XXV more takes one to Prsetorium on the Coast. If this was the route at all,* I have little doubt that Prsetorium was at Bridlington Bay, the " sinus salutaris," " portuosus sinus," also " Gabrantvicorum sinus." The Romans would never risk rounding the rock-bound coast of Flamborough Head, (Brigantium Extrema), when they could meet with such a capital landing place and shelter as the modern Quay.

"NOTE.—Considering that the first iter of Antonine gives a list of Roman stations, starting from Northumberland, through Catterick and Aldborough to York, and thence to Prsetorium, I cannot myself believe that this military way turned at right angles to Bridlington and Filey, but think it must have maintained a southerly direction. Still it could not go at first directly south from York, for the great plain south of York was probably all forest and more or less swampy, and crossed by several tidal rivers. The road from Daiium, (Doncaster), made at once for the ridge of magnesiaii lime• stone on the west to Tadcaster, thence to York by another ridge at Bilborough. That from York to Prsetorium might reasonably make for the Wolds, by the ridge running by Holtby to Garrowby Hill, thence southwards through Warier and Londesborough, to Brough on the . The itinerary of Richard agrees with that of Antonine, but Richard gives some further particulars, he mentions the military road from Lincoln to the Humber, (ad Abum), where, be says, you cross into the province called Maxima, i.e. Yorkshire. The distance from the point of embarkation to that of landing or rather Petuaria, he calls VI miles, i.e. somewhat about 5| English miles. The swift tidal current might easily make the passage longer than the present measured distance, which is somewhat less. Anyhow, Petuaria can have no more to do with Beverley than Prsetorium with Patrington. Richard goes on to say that the distance from Petuaria to ¥ork is 46 Roman miles, which agrees with the former statement (the words " ut supra " can only refer to iter V), that the distance from York to Prsetorium is 45 miles. Hence I conclude that Petuaria and Prsetorium Downloaded from http://pygs.lyellcollection.org/ at University of Iowa on June 9, 2015

are really the same place, namely, Brougli, and that the road to York passed along the Avestern escarpment of the Wolds to Garrowby, through Londesborough, though whether Londesborough is the site of Delgovitia, as suggested by Drake, or Millington, as claimed by Dr. Burton, or Warter, as proposed by Mr. It. Mortimer, or , as doubtfully proposed by others, I do not pretend to say. The following is a list of some modern maps bearing on the subject of the paper :— 1745. J. BURTON, M.D.—A Survey of the Roman Works in York• shire where the ancient toAvn of Delgovitia is supposed to have stood. 1836. J. WALKER.—Ancient military remains on the Avestern promontory of the Wolds. 1846. C. NEAVTON.—Map of British and Roman Yorkshire. 1852. J.WRIGHT.—Britain under the Romans, from " The Celt, the Roman, and the Saxon." 1852. J. PHILLIPS.—The territory of the Brigantes, from "York• shire." 1855. It. KNOX.—A map of the country near Scarbro', from "East Yorkshire." 1862. REV. T. WILTSHIRE.—Plan and sections of the entrench• ments at Fimber. 1882. MAJOR-GENERAL PITT RIVERS.—Map of the country near Flamborough Head, shoAving the positions of the Dikes. 1886. It. MORTIMER.—Restoration of ancient entrenchments on the Wolds. The folloAving are the itineraries quoted:— ITINERARY OF ANTONINUS. Iter 1. A limite, i.e., a Vallo, Pretoria usque, m.p. clvi. A Breminio (High Rochester) m.p. xx. Corstopitum ( Corchester) Vindomora (Ebchester) in.p. ix. Vinovia (Binchester) m.p. xix. Cataractoni (Catterich) m.p. xxii. Isurium ( Aldborough) m.p. xxiv. Eburacum ( York) m.p. xvii. Downloaded from http://pygs.lyellcollection.org/ at University of Iowa on June 9, 2015 Downloaded from http://pygs.lyellcollection.org/ at University of Iowa on June 9, 2015

COLE : ANCIENT ENTRENCHMENTS NEAR WETWANG. 53

Derventione ? ni.p. vn. Delgovitia ? in .p. xiii. Praetor io ? m.p. xxv. ITINERARY OF RICHARD. Iter v. A liuiite Prseturium usque Corstoplio m.p. xx. Vindomora ni.p. ix. Vindovio m.p. xix. Cattaractoiii m.p. xxii. Eboraco ni.p. xl. Derventione m.p. vii. Delgovicia m.p. xiii. Prseturio m.p, xxv. Iter xvii. Ab Anderida [Eboracum] usque,

Lindo (Lincoln) m.p. xxx. In medio m.p. xv. Ad Abum (JJtimber) m.p. xv. Unde transis in Maximam. Ad Petuariam m.p. vi. Deinde Eboraco, ut supra m.p. xlvi.

THE MESOZOIC ROCKS OF THE NORTH-EAST COAST OF IRELAND. BY W. J. E. BINNIE, B.A., TRIN. COLL., CAMBRIDGE. The grandeur, so distinctive of the scenery of this coast, is due to the nature of the materials of which it is composed. There are many who have heard about the columnar rocks of the Giants' Causeway, but few know that it is not so much on the ground of possessing such objects of interest as the Causeway or Fair Head, that this coast lays claim to be one of peculiar geological interest.