Page:Sussex Archaeological Collections, volume 6.djvu/128

 the ancient city to have been "desolate" in his time, whereas Pevensey was a town even previous to and at that period, and long subsequently a castle of the lords of that place was occupied within the Roman walls.

1. It is perfectly true, that nothing resembling forest now exists within several miles of Pevensey, but how greatly the condition of the country may have altered in nearly 1400 years we are able only to conjecture. History informs us, that during the irruptions of the Danes the native inhabitants sought refuge in the woods, which then covered the fens of Cambridgeshire and of the neighbouring portions of our island, the date of those events being not earlier than the ninth century, perhaps later. But at this day those parts are more perfectly denuded of natural timber than the Sussex district, while the latter has vastly the advantage as to solidity of soil. Moreover the actual situation of Pevensey, (that is, of the old Roman station, which, it must be remembered, though adjoining to, is entirely distinct from, the town of that name, intervening between it and the contiguous village, westward, of Westham): the actual situation of the ancient settlement is by no means so remote from (comparatively) elevated and absolutely firm land, as may be imagined by those, who are not thoroughly acquainted with the locality. Most probably Westham was always on the same level with Pevensey, which seems to have been the case with ground northward of the former place, and certainly at no great distance to the west we reach an ascent, where, though the soil may be a wet clay, marsh and floods could not possibly extend, whatever might be the condition of the Level below. Here, therefore, we may safely conclude, would be woods of more or less density, which must have spread in every direction, if permitted to do so undisturbed, which assuredly would be