218 Report of Committee on the
runs—a very hard and good path, which leaves the camp by
an outlet at the southern slope to descend to Debden Slade,
and so to Loughton. A good and old path, branching out
from the first, runs outside the northern and eastern ramparts,
also to Loughton. The three inlets to the camp appear to be
ancient, but at present we have no means of fixing their age
relatively to the ramparts.
Several pits of varying size exist in the camp, and they are
numerous on the high level ground, stretching from the head
of the little valley on the west round the northern aspect of
the ramparts. It is possible that some of these pits may owe
their origin to the exertions of sand-seekers; but many of
them must be of considerable antiquity, as they are densely
overgrown with trees, and we are disposed to think that these
at least may have been constructed by the occupiers of the
camp, and have had some connection with their habits of life.
The regular circular form of some of these pits, and the
distance of the site of the camp from any high road (for the
present Epping New Road is, of course, very modern) by
which vehicles could reach this densely-wooded district, are
circumstances sufficient to throw grave doubt upon the sug-
gestion that they were made by gravel-diggers. A cutting
was made in one of the pits within the camp; and in the
silt, about two feet down, an artificial black flint flake,
perfectly unweathered, was found (No. 38). It is hoped that
some further examination of these pits may be made, pending
which any hypotheses as to their age or probable uses must
necessarily be little more than guesswork.
Mr. Cowper mentions some banks on the ground between
the Ambresbury Banks and Loughton Camp, and similar
works have recently been detected on the high ridge by the
"King's Oak," to the west of the Loughton Camp. Owing
to the denseness of the Forest, an accurate survey of these
banks would be somewhat difficult, and it has not yet been
attempted. We are therefore not in a position to describe
them more definitely; but they are certainly artificial, and we
think they deserve a thorough examination. Mr. D'Oyley
also directed our attention to a somewhat remarkable con-