Page:VCH Berkshire 1.djvu/377

 ANCIENT EARTHWORKS barrows, each surrounded by a trench. A third was destroyed when the wood was planted after the enclosure award of 1802. SCTTON COURTENAY. There is a barrow in Sutton Wick, not far from Barrow road, and another in the centre of the village. TUBNEY. There is a barrow in Tubney wood. UFFINGTON. There are two barrows in this parish on Woolston Down, known as Idlebush barrow. There is also another barrow on Woolston Down. The conical hill by the White Horse, known as Dragon Hill, was always supposed to be a tumulus, but when explored in 1852, it was found to be natural and the soil undisturbed. 1 WANTAGE. There is a barrow in the south of Wantage parish, near the Ridgeway. WELFORD. A small barrow is shown on the tithe map in Hoe Benham, on the boundary of the parish adjoining Elcot Park. A barrow is also mentioned in the bounds given in a Saxon Charter in the Abingdon Chronicle. YATTENDON. There is a barrow in Yattendon parish near Ever- ington. PITS In various parts of the county there are to be found circular pits, varying in depth and diameter, from some of which no substance could have been removed of the slightest value to the inhabitants of the neigh- bourhood. Others again may well be chalk pits. It has been suggested that these are the remains of subterranean dwellings similar to those now or till recently used by the inhabitants of Siberia or North-west America. LITTLE COXWELL. In Little Coxwell parish were 273 pits, most of which are still existing, lying in 14 acres of land. Their depth varies from 7 to 22 feet, while the diameter of some is as much as 40 feet. They are called Cole's pits in a survey of 1687.* COMPTON. Several pits are to be seen within the area of Per- borough camp, and have been described under this head. 3 EARLEY. There were a number of pits in Earley-field called Mase-holes, which were between 15 and 20 feet deep. 4 MAIDENHEAD. There are several pits on Maidenhead thicket, which have been thought to be the remains of pit dwellings. They may, however, be chalk pits. VARIOUS EARTHWORKS There are some few earthworks in Berkshire which cannot be classed among any of the preceding types, and which nevertheless should not be omitted from our catalogue. i Lysons, Mag. Brit. i. 215. Trans. Newbury Dist. Field Club, i. 182. Cough's Camden, i. 222. Arch. vii. 236. Lysons, Mag. Brit. i. 215. Hewitt, Hundr. of Camp ton, 70. Lysons, Mag. Brit. i. 215. Coates, Hist. Reading, corr. and add. 283