134 ANCIENT ENTRENCHMENTS AT
the river Roding, and at a short distance from it, is a double
trench and bank; at the north-west corner was an outlet to a very
fine spring of water, which was guarded by an inner work, and a high
keep or mound of earth. Mr. Lethieullier thinks that this entrench-
ment was too large for a camp ; his opinion therefore is that it was
the site of a Roman town. He confesses that no traces of buildings
have been found on that spot, which he accounts for on the supposi-
tion that the materials were used for building Barking Abbey, and
for repairing it after it was burnt by the Danes. As a confirmation
of this opinion he relates that upon viewing the ruins of the Abbey
Church in 1750 he found the foundations of one of the great pillars
composed in part of Roman bricks. A coin of Magnentius was found
also among the ruins."
This record is quoted in all later works, either in full or in a
modified form, such as: "The Beauties of England and Wales,"
1803; "The History of Essex," by Wright, 1831-5; "The People's
History of Essex," by D. W. Coller, 1861, and many books of later
date.
The only addition we find is in Mrs. E. Ogborne's "History of
Essex" (1814). She says that the Mount was then "about 94 yards
round the base, and about nine in height on the side of the river,"
and adds: "The extent and shape are nearly the same as that at
Pleshy, in this county, which Mr. Strutt describes ("Strutt's Chron.,"
vol. i.), 'as a full mile in circumference not far wide of the long
square, with the corners gently rounded off; and of this form are
the greater part of the Roman Camps discovered in England.'"
On page 42 is the only view hitherto published, a pretty vignette
of the Mound as it then appeared with trees growing upon it, which
was drawn and engraved by her husband, John Ogborne. This is
now reproduced as an illustration.
Coming down to recent times, I cannot find that any plan has
ever been published, except those on the Ordnance Survey Maps,
on which mine is based.
No investigation has ever been made, nor am I aware that any
finds of pottery, coins, or implements of any kind have been found,
or, at any rate, recorded, that would in any way furnish a distinct
clue to its origin. Excavations would be necessary to determine
this with any accuracy.
Although it was visited by the Essex Archaeological Society on
June 21st, 1859, no record is preserved in their Transactions, though
incidentally it is mentioned as a Roman Camp. On that occasion