30
I. The old river base. III., IV., V Represents 6ft. of alluvial wash, which has
II. The Relic bed. accumulated over this take Dwelling level.
Fig. 27. Section through the supposed Lake Dwelling site, Skitts Hill.
raised platform there was still water, in which the peaty mud has
accumulated until it has levelled all up, and it was, no doubt, into this
water which surrounded the floor on which the huts were built that
numerous relics fell or were swept by the dwellers. So large was the
quantity of wood and other material used to construct this platform,
that in the course of years some tons have been dug out by Mr. Brown's
workmen, and afterwards returned to fill up the excavations."
Relics have been found on the spot for many years before
Mr. Kenworthy's arrival on the scene, but they failed to attract
any particular notice and have fallen mostly into the hands of
people who have regarded them as playthings and many
have unfortunately been lost. All the objects obtained by Mr.
Kenworthy have been presented by him to the Museum. They
comprise tools of antler, bone, flint and wood, fragments of
pottery and an interesting series of animal remains.
Objects from the Romano - British Settlement at
Chigwell.—These objects (which are exhibited in the Epping
Forest Museum at Chingford) represent but a very small
proportion of those unearthed from this site, on which excava-
tions have been carried out for many years in order to obtain
gravel. (See " Museum Handbook" No. 2.)
The occurrence of relics only attracted the notice of curiosity
collectors ; the bulk may have been used as material for road-
making, and so little or no record of the conditions accompany-
ing the objects is obtainable. In more recent years Mr.
Chalkley Gould and the Rev. J. W. Maitland have exerted
themselves to obtain the specimens which are now exhibited on
loan at the Forest Museum.