extend up to the wall at (C), but ends somewhat curiously against ground a foot or two higher which reaches up to the wall. This higher ground sends a kind of tongue 8 feet in breadth and 25 feet long into the lower tract, thus leaving two recesses or bays one of 14 feet and the other about 30 feet in breadth, and the same depth as the tongue, i.e. 25 feet. The rest of this higher ground about 18 feet broad is continued into the field (OO). This, on the supposition that the place was a racecourse, might be used for chariots, &c., to reach (C) the head of the long earthwork, where they might be stationed for starting in either or both of the two recesses, which would thus be analogous to the Roman carceres, I do not mean to suggest that the people who used this structure for a racecourse, if ever it were so used, were Romans, but there is every probability that any Aryan people like the Britons would have in their games some points of similarity to those of the Romans and Greeks. PENRITH. (Extract from the Itinerarium Curiosum of the Rev. W. Stukely. Published 1776.) At the conflux of the rivers Louther and Eimot there is a remarkable curiosity, that illustrates the method of the religious solemnities, as much as any I have seen. Upon the edge of the Louther, where the bridge now passes it, is a delicate little plain, of an oblong form bounded on the other side by a natural declivity: this is used to this day for a country rendezvous, either for sports or military exercises, shooting with bows, &c. On this plain stands the antiquity commonly called King Arthur's Round Table, and supposed to be used for tilts and tournaments: it is a circle inclosed with a ditch, and that with a vallum. At first sight we may see that it was intended for sports, but not on horseback, because much too little; the vallum on the outside lies sloping inwards with a very gradual declivity on purpose for spectators to stand around it, and it would hold at least 10,000 people. The outside of the vallum is pretty steep: it was high originally as may be seen now in some parts; but it is worn down, as being by the side of the common road; and the inhabitants carry it away away to mend the highways withal. There are two entrances into the area, north and south, or nearly so; one end is enclosed into a neighbouring pasture: the area had a circle within, somewhat higher in elevation than the other. The outer verge of the vallum is a circle of 300 foot the composition of it is entirely cobbles and gravel, dug out of the ditch. Upon part of the plain are marks of the tents of the Scots army, that accompanied King Charles II. on his way to Worcester: they encamped here for some time, and drew a small line across part of the southern circle: this was done within memory. Just 400 foot from the verge of the south entrance is another circle, 300 foot in diameter, made contrarywise to the former: the vallum is small, and the ditch whence it was taken is outermost. Thus these two circles and the interval make 1000 foot in length; and there is just room enough without them, next the river and next the bank, for a circus or foot race, according to the manner of the Grecians which were always celebrated by the sides of rivers :-" Centum ego quadrijugos agitabo ad flumina currus" &c., Virgil; and probably British chariots had here their courses. On the southern end it is manifest they contrived it just to leave room enough for the turn; and it required good skill to drive a chariot so as not to fall there, or into the river. It must be understood that the bridge at present, and another of wood formerly below it, have impaired the banks by the more southern circle. This is the most delightful place that can be imagined for recreation: the rapid Louther runs all along the side of it; the Eimot joins it a little way off, in view; beyond that is a charming view of a vast wood, and of Brougham Castle; beyond that the ancient Roman City, and the Roman Road going along under the high hill whereon is the beacon. But these are things later in time than our antiquity. Though upon first sight of the place I knew its purport, yet I was more fully convinced thereof when I went to see Mayborough, as it is called, which is a little higher up the hill, on an eminence higher than any near it, and full west from this place or circus: it is a vast concavity, of the same diameter as the circles just mentioned, viz., 300 foot it is made with an artificial vallum of loose stones, without any ditch, carried with great labour from some other place, and here piled up, so as to make a rampart as high and broad as that at Abury: in some places the turf with which it was covered originally, is peeled off it slopes inward with a gentle descent on account of spectators; outwardly it is as steep as the nature of the materials would suffer, and now covered over with great timber trees: the entrance is wide and opens full east, and to the circus. Within this fine plain which is now ploughed up, have been two circles of huge stones; four remaining maining of the inner circle till a year or two ago, that they were blown to pieces with gunpowder, they were of a hard black kind of stone like that of the altar at Stonehenge : one now stands, ten foot high, seventeen in circumference, of a good shapely kind; another lies along: this inner circle was fifty foot in diameter. One stone at least of the outer circle remains by the edge of the corn; and some more lie at the entrance within side, others without, and fragments all about. Just by the entrance, along the road runs a spring, full eastward. This I suppose to be a great British temple, where the country met on solemn days to sacrifice. After the religious duties were over, they went down to the circus to celebrate their games: and I could not but admire the fine genius of the people in chusing places for their sports; for upon the verge of the acclivity, along the circus, an infinite number of people might stand to see the whole without the least inconvenience, besides those in the plain between the two circles; and these two circles admirably well executed the intent of the meta's, but much better than those in the Roman circus's. In ploughing at Mayborough they dug up a brass celt. On the other side of the Eimot, upon a high ground overlooking all, is a very fine round tumulus, of a large size, and set about with a circle of stones: this in all probability was the funeral monument of the king that founded the temple and circus. Somebody has lately been digging away part of the barrow and carried off some of the stones, and demolished others. ART. XLIII.-On Ancient Remains, chiefly Prehistoric, in SOME ME observations connected with various remains, chiefly of prehistoric interest, were made by the writer and noted down a few years since, during excursions in the beautiful vale of the river Gelt. Geltsdale is but little known except in its lower reaches, where amongst the picturesque wood-embowered ravines near the village of Hayton, appears the famous "Written Rock" of the Roman Wall-builders. Lovers of natural scenery, as well as archæologists, make this favoured spot a place of frequent pilgrimage. As the rest of the valley has been but seldom visited for the purpose of antiquarian research these notes on one small corner-a minor dale-of Cumberland, may serve to prove that it possesses many other remains of considerable interest and value. The river Geltt rises amongst the lofty mountains of the Cross Fell range (the water-shed also of the South Tyne) in the royal forest of Geltsdale, which, with the neighbouring forest of Brierthwaite, formerly belonged to the great Priory of Hexham. On the suppression of the monasteries it was granted to the powerful Barons of Gilsland, and is now the property of the Earl of Carlisle. From the furthest source of the Gelt in its rivulet "The Old Water" in the wild fastnesses of fell and moor its course does not much exceed twelve miles; until, * At the joint meeting of this Society and the Royal Archæological Institute. + Probably from the Celtic "gwilt," wild; a descriptive epithet which is very appropriate throughout most of its course. Cf. Glenwhelt, near Carvorran, the "wild glen," and Gwilt Gwallin, "Wild Wales." near |