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VIII.
Report of the Committee appointed to investigate the
Ancient Earthwork in Epping Forest, known as the
"Loughton" or "Cowper's" Camp.
Drawn up by the Honorary Secretary, with the assistance of
the other Members of the Committee.
Plates III. and IV.1
[The Club having raised a Fund for the exploration of the
Loughton Camp (a list of subscribers to which, including a
grant of £10 from the British Association, will be found in
Appendix No. 2 to the present volume), a careful examination
was made during the summer of 1882 by a Committee ap-
pointed by the Club for that purpose. Four members of that
Committee, viz., Mr. E. Meldola, F.C.S., General Pitt-Rivers,
F.R.S., Mr. Worthington Smith, F.L.S., and Mr. William
Cole having been appointed a separate Committee by the
British Association for the Advancement of Science, were
requested to draw up the following Report, which was read
by Mr. Meldola at the meeting of the Association at South-
port, the paper being illustrated by the exhibition of the
relics found in the ramparts, and by means of large plans
and sections prepared by Mr. H. A. Cole. The Report
was also read at a meeting of the Essex Field Club held at
Buckhurst Hill on September 29th, 1883. The report is
printed in the 'British Association Reports' for 1883,
pp. 243-252. Full particulars as to the mode of working,
names and attendances of the Committee, and various local
details, will be found in the 'Journal of Proceedings,' vol. in.,
pp. li.-lv. It was intended to add to this report an account,
with bibliographical references, of earthworks of a similar
nature which have been explored in various parts of England,
but we are compelled from want of space to postpone this for
the present.—Ed.]
In ancient times an immense forest probably covered the
greater part of the county of Essex, and, as a remnant of this
vast tract of woodland, the present Epping or Waltham
1 [These plates were lithographed for the British Association 'Reports,'
and the Club is indebted to the kindness of the General Committee of the
Association for copies at the cost of paper and machining.—Ed.]