Page:Sussex Archaeological Collections, volume 6.djvu/304

 the subjoined remarks, to adduce such historical facts as relate to the structure itself—its origin, dilapidations, repairs, and additions—and to give a concise description of its existing features and peculiarities.

The map which accompanies this paper has been carefully prepared from actual survey by Mr. Figg, and, for the first time, presents a trustworthy representation of the ground-plan. The walls coloured red show the Roman portions; while those given in grey represent the medieval additions. The members of our Society, and the subscribers to the Excavation Fund, will know how to appreciate Mr. Figg's gratuitous labour.

The congeries of walls and towers forming what is popularly, though inappropriately, called Pevensey Castle, occupies a slight elevation caused by one of those geological undulations not uncommon in flat and marshy districts. Before the draining of the marsh of Pevensey, and when what is still known as Pevensey Bay was a much deeper watery indent into the line of Sussex coast than at present, several eminences must have appeared above the surrounding waste of waters, forming a cluster of low rounded islands. These are still recognisable by their names, the termination being uniformly ey or eye, a softening of the Anglo-Saxon í or íg, island, morass. Here we find among many others, Hidney, Chilley, Mankseye, Horseye, Northeye, Langney, Rickney, Mountney. Foremost in importance in this little archipelago stood the insulated or peninsulated spot which was seized upon by the Romans as a site for the station which was afterwards known as the Civitas Anderida, and which, after its total destruction (excepting only the external walls) by the Saxons, assumed the name of Peofnesea—probably from some early proprietor called Peofn. A glance at the map will show that the builders of the wall which encloses the Roman station were influenced in their plan by the peculiar form of the ground chosen for a site, and that they followed the outline of the rising ground. In order to make the most of the site, they neglected the rectangular arrangement so usual in Roman castra, and hence the irregular oval and island-like form of the enclosure. At that time the southern and eastern sides doubtless occupied a sort of low cliff, washed at every tide by the waters of the ocean, or at least of a considerable arm of the sea. On the