THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
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to ancient remains and, however erroneous, were never dispelled till the shovel
and pick had been brought to bear upon them. He referred to the Club's
explorations of the Epping Forest earthworks as examples of exploration by
scientific method which had been instigated by the late Genl. Pitt Rivers.
Prof. Meldola further expressed satisfaction that the Society of Antiquaries
was carrying on the work of the Archaeological Survey, although he feared
that Essex had not much to show so far in this direction. With reference to
the occurrence of palaeolithic remains in their county he reminded the meeting
that they had been fortunate at the outset of their career in having had among
them such a keen observer as their hon member Mr. Worthington Smith,
some of whose earliest contributions to the subject had been published by the
Essex Field Club. The President also expressed his great interest in Mr.
Read's suggestions with reference to the registration and preservation of the
prehistoric remains of the county and he referred to the similar proposals
brought by him in 1883 before the Club and the Conference of Delegates of
Corresponding Societies at the Southport meeting of trie British Association
(see Trans. Essex Field Club, vol. iv., p. 116). Coming as these suggestions
now did from an archaeologist of such distinction as Mr. Read, he hoped they
would bear practical fruit and that the Club would continue the work of
scientific exploration of the ancient remains of the county which they had
already commenced under such favourable auspices. There yet remained an
immense amount of work to be done in this field, and he expressed the hope
that the systematic investigation of the mysterious "Red Hills" to which Mr.
Read had alluded would be taken in hand before long.
Mr. T. V. Holmes thought that they might well be congratulated on Mr
Read's valuable address. In illustration of the damage done in former years
to ancient earthworks by persons ignorant of the interest attached to them he
might mention that Mr. W. Cole and he visited Pictsbury Ramparts, near
Colchester, a few days after the occurrence of the Essex Earthquake. The
camp appeared on the map of the Geological Survey (48, S.W.) as a complete
oval But they found about three quarters completely removed, and only
about one fourth (which was within the boundaries of a wood) preserved.
The destruction had been done simply as an agricultural improvement, though
on meeting the farmer occupying the land, and talking with him about it, they
learned that the removal had been a costly piece of work, and scarcely a
profitable one. It was described as a pretty spot, the ramparts having once
stood about 30 feet high, where, at the time of our visit there was a perfect
level. In Greenwich Park, there still remained many low tumuli on the top
of the hill between the Observatory buildings and the gate at the top of
Crooms Hill. In the year 1844, we learn from Hasted's History of Kent
(Part I. Hundred of Blackheath with additions by Streatfield and Larking,
edited by H H. Drake, London, 1886), that the reservoir a few yards south of
these barrows was made. Many barrows were destroyed to obtain material
for the banks bounding the reservoir before orders were given to stop the
destruction, and oblige the constructors of the reservoir to obtain their grave]
a few yards farther away. We also learn that these barrows were opened in
the year 1784 by permission of the Surveyor of the Royal Domains and some
glass beads, braids of human hair, and patches of woollen cloth found in them,
But it also appears that about 70 years before the date of this exploration,