Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/503

 I THE NORTH l{II)l(! OF VORKSHI ItK. ;3:31» tliat either of these races constructed eartlnvorks of this character. If, in the absence of more direct proof, afforded by the form of the entrenchment themselves, we seek for a clue to their origin in the remains found in the district which they occupy, we are e<|ually at fault, for the very singular frag- ments of horse fm-niture found at Stanwick some years ago,"^ and of which examples have been given in the York Volume of Proceedings of the Institute, pp. 36, 37, and 38, present quite as much the characteristics of late Roman as of Saxon work, and the most competent judges have failed to decide positively to which race they belong. No other antiquities have been found at Stanwick, except a bronze spiral armilla, part of a fibula found near the church, and two or three celts ; the two former objects are probably late Roman, the latter British; but we cannot infer much from such slight and isolated remains. The dike, as we have already pointed out in tracing its course, seems certainly connected with these entrenchments, and its entrance defended, particularly on the western side ; the bastion on the Tofts also points its salient angle towards the entrance on the west ; this, with the inflexion of the general line in advance of it, has much the appearance of a rude attempt at the formation of a place of defence. After this examination of the dike and entrenchments between the Tees and the Swale throughout their whole course, it may be worth while to take a glance at the geolo- gical structure of this part of Yorkshire, so far as it could be observed in a hasty survey. The valley of Gilling seems to be one of those dislocations which geologists call a " valley of elevation," or an anticlinal line. The strata which lie beneath the coal, and are of the Yoredale series of Professor Phillips, dip generall}' to the eastward ; but, in consequence of a dislocation along the line of the valley, the strata on each side dip gently away from it, the strata at Richmond to the south-east, and those at Melsonby to the north-east. At each of these places the great or upper limestone is worked, and the sandstone at Gaterley Moor may be con- 3 In a field, a little to the north-east of east corner of the. aeconipanying plan. Lower Langdale. See the spot indicated See also the general map in the' preceding by the word "Remains" in the south- part of this memoir, page "2 1:5.