299 the Collection of Tumuli, Known As Danes' Graves, Occur on the Wolds
Downloaded from http://pygs.lyellcollection.org/ at University of Iowa on May 24, 2015 299 NOTES ON THE DANES1 GRAVES NEAR DRIFFIELD. BY THE REV. E. MAULE COLE, M.A., F.G.S. The collection of tumuli, known as Danes' Graves, occur on the Wolds, at the junction of three parishes—Great Driffield, Nafferton, and Kilham. They are actually in the parish of Great Driffield, though in some reports they are described as being in the parish of Kilham. They are situated immediately to the south of a line of entrenchments which, roughly speaking, extends from Flamborough Head to Garrowby Hill top. This line of entrench• ments is remarkable for the fact that it forms the boundaries of all parishes from York to Flamborough. It is more or less sinuous, and, in all probability, marks the track of an ancient British way from Eburac (our modern York) to the coast. It may have been utilized by the Romans after their conquest of the country, as there is evidence (obtained by my friend, Mr. J. R. Mortimer) of a Roman- British cemetery on both sides of the road, in the parish of Wetwang- with-Fimber, but I think that the Romans constructed another road in the rear, at a higher elevation, from Fridaythorpe, through Sledmere and Octon to Bridlington Bay, known as the High Street. The site of Pretorium, mentioned in the itinerary of Antonine, has long been a matter of dispute, and is so still, but when it is con• sidered that the Romans would probably wish to have access by sea to such an important place as Eburacum, then the capital of Britannia, it is not improbable that they would select the shortest land route, to which an ancient British way already pointed.
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