ANCIENT EARTHWORKS which remain on the coast are of Hasten's construction. Though originally an inland fortress, as is proved in Mr. F. C. J. Spurrell's papers, 1 the sea has washed away about half of it, and the
Shoeiarynta Essex. banks of the re- maining portion have been sadly mu- tilated by the War Office authorities, who now occupy the site. Rampart and ditch remain on the south side while Rampart Street marks the north line. A fraction exists, or did till recently, on the west side, show- ing a ditch 40 feet wide outside a bank of about 12 feet in height. In the words of Dr. H. Laver 2 : It is probable that the few remains of this historical camp will soon disappear, unless an effort is made to enlist the help of the War Office authorities in its preserva- tion, a matter which should not be difficult, seeing its value as an historical monument, and that the cost of preservation would be next to nothing. MALDON. If any reliance can be placed upon the plan shown by Strutt, 3 the earthwork at Maldon must have been of the most simple form a rampart with a wide moat, surrounding an open space ; but it is practically certain that in Strutt's days it was by no means so complete as indicated, for Salmon, who wrote earlier (1740), speaks of part being built upon and defaced. In his day three sides of the fortification remained ; but now, alas ! Mr. E. A. Fitch in his description of Maldon (1898) can only say : * The site of this Saxon camp can still be faintly traced.' Salmon * says : There are the remains of a camp on the west side of the town, through the middle of which the Road to Chelmsford goes ; three sides of the Fortification are visible. The ground within the Vallum seems to be of about twenty-two Acres . . . We see three sides of a Square or Oblong, the rest being built upon and defaced. This has a fair Pretence to be Roman ; but as Edward the elder encamped here, it is not certain whether he fortified it, or found it ready done to his hands. There are two references in the Saxon Chronicle. The first (A. 913) simply states that King Edward went to Maldon with some of his force and encamped while his burb at Witham was being constructed. 1 Essex Naturalist, iv. and Artbtrokgical Journal, xlii. ' Manneri, Customs, etc. (1774). 287
- Essex Arch. 1 'rani. n.s. vi. 97.
4 History of Essex (1740), p. 419.
