226
THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
on the forest [Takely Forest], in the way to Stane-street, is a small spot of ground
called Porting-hills and Portingbury-hills. At a little distance from that are the
traces of a large circular entrenchment." The Hon. R. C. Neville, F.S.A.
(afterwards Lord Braybrooke), states in his "Sepulchra Exposita" that it was
reported in one of the topographical works on Essex that more coins of Cunobeline
had been found in this locality than any other ; but judging from the following
information communicated to him by Mr. Frye, of Saffron Walden, this statement
appears to be entirely erroneous:—
"Enquiry was made of old men at plough, near this spot, and of persons met
and called upon on the way, who said they never heard of any coins or curious
old things being found in or about this place. Mr. John Platt, an old inhabitant of
Bishop's Stortford, watchmaker, who has been in the habit of purchasing coins,
never heard of any being found at Wallbury. * * * * The Rev. J.
Hutchinson, the venerable vicar of Sawbridgeworth, being called upon, says that
his relative, Sir H. Dryden (an antiquary), has visited this spot, and made careful
memoranda respecting it ; of whom more information, perhaps, might be obtained.
*. * * * The camp must have been a very strong place, yet no Roman
antiquities have been met with, and there is no appearance of barrows."
Some of the members made a careful examination of the earthwork, aided by
the large scale Ordnance maps kindly provided by Mr. Taylor. On the embank-
ments are many old trees, and notably some grand hawthorns, and in the centre
of the camp stands a fine Holm-oak (Quercus ilex), with its leaves riddled by
larvae of the small moth, Lithocolletis mesaniella. The view from the western side,
looking down into the valley of the Stort, gives a striking idea of the boldness of
the embankments, and the great labour that must have been employed in throwing
them up.
No conclusions of any value as to its age can be arrived at by merely tracing the
outlines of the earthwork ; a thorough examination with pick and shovel would be
the only means to obtain reliable information, and the hope was expressed that the
Essex Field Club might ere long be in a position to take the matter in hand. In
describing the earthwork we have applied to it the conventional word "camp,"
but from consideration of its size, etc., it is evident that it could not have been a
mere military fastness—it would have required an immense body of men to
effectually defend such an extent of ramparts. Mr. Roach Smith has some valuable
remarks in an account of his visit to this place in the "Gentleman's Magazine"
for 1865 (pt. ii., pp. 760, 761), which apply to so many of the so-called "camps"
in Essex that we cannot do better than close with them our summary of the
meagre information extant concerning this remarkable vestige of ancient life.
Mr. Smith says:—
"Wallbury is a fine and good example of those fortified places which are
usually called Roman. It would be easy to cite dozens of instances, but for the
present purpose one at hand may suffice. Hasted in his 'History of Kent'
writes :—' At Oldberry (near Ightham) there are the remains of a very considerable
entrenchment, which is, without doubt, of Roman origin. It is of an oval form,
and contains within its bounds the space of 137 acres.' This may be said to be
unusually extensive, but it is clear that they all belong to a certain class of
fortifications constructed upon one and the same principle. It seems that a
consideration of the number of troops required to defend these camps called
Roman, has never entered into the minds of those who have so termed them.
Such places would be mere traps in which weak garrisons could be taken at any
time by a strong besieging force ; and situated as most of these earthworks are,
it is difficult to understand what strategic purpose they would have answered in
the hands of Romans. Hod Hill, in Dorsetshire, is an interesting exception, but