Journal of Proceedings.
xxix
Sufficient funds having been subscribed for the investigation of one
Camp, at the Council and Ordinary Meetings held on February 26th the
following members were nominated as a Committee to conduct and
supervise the operations:—The Officers ex officio, Mr. D'Oyley (Honorary
Surveyor), Messrs. H. A. Cole, J. English, N. F. Robarts, Charles Thomas,
T. Fisher Unwin, and F. H. Varley; and subsequently Mr. A. Tozer and
Rev. W. Linton Wilson joined the Committee. It was decided to begin
with Ambresbury Banks; the contract for the work was taken by Mr.
Charles Cuthbert, of Loughton; and very carefully made plans and
working sections were provided by the kind exertions of our Honorary
Surveyor.
On the morning of May 30th the contractor and workmen were duly on
the ground, together with our directors General Pitt-Rivers and Mr.
D'Oyley, and several members of the Committee. A part of the rampart
to the left-hand side entering the Camp from the Epping Road had been
staked out, but it was found that excavations there would necessitate the
removal of at least one large tree; and a site to the right of the entrance
free from trees of any size was finally chosen. The ground was speedily
staked-out by the Surveyor, the bushes cleared away, and the turf peeled
off. Then commenced the careful work which demanded the close
attention of the explorers for eight or nine days. The earth was
systematically dug out in "spits" by the workmen and thrown into the
barrows or cart, where each spadeful underwent a rigorous examination
by the several members of the Committee on "search duty." It was
found impossible to use the sieve in consequence of the clayey and
agglutinative nature of much of the soil, and small geological hammers
and extemporised spades were soon busily employed in turning over and
over the debris of the ancient rampart. But some of the searchers found
that their hands were really the best instruments in such close work, and
several of the "finds" were the result of persevering digital exercises.
Throughout, the workmen were very careful and watchful, faithfully
carrying out the directions given to them. The plan of operations and
theory of the work are set forth in the Report [Transactions, ii., 55], and
need not be recapitulated. As evidence of the care taken, and as a slight