A HISTORY OF HEREFORDSHIRE defended by the fall of the hill, which, however, is not steep at any point. The entrenchments are simple, consisting of a fosse with the ballast there- from thrown inward to form a rampart, the hill-side forming, with the fosse, a second rampart in places. The work as a whole is not powerfully defended, the base of the fosse and rampart together being less than 50 ft. in width. The hill and entrenchments are covered with trees and underwood, the latter being so close about the south-west corner that a perfect survey at that point is now almost impossible, but apparently an outer rampart protects this weak spot. Of the several openings in the rampart only that on the south- east appears to be early, and may be the only original entrance to the strong- hold. The late Dr. H. G. Bull has described the position of this camp.* Aymestrey : Pyon Wood Camp. — This well-defined small fortress occupies a knoll upon a tongue of land which projects eastward from a range of downs about 6 miles north-west of Leominster. The position is natur- ally defended by the fall of the hill on all sides, and the entrenchments are simple, consisting of a fosse with the ballast thrown inward to form a ram- part, the hill-side forming, with the outer side of the ditch, a second bank ; and as the inclosed camp -'soo""'" ■--•... rises above the main ram- part an inner fosse is Enft*""' J^^f.- JSK: ..SpofT — '"' Pyon Wood Camp, Aymestrey an formed. As the ancient road, here known as Watling Street, runs at the eastern base of the hill, and with- in an eighth of a mile, it is probable that this for- tress may have been in- tended to command the road. It must also be noted that the much larger and stronger camp. Croft Am- brey, is only about a mile distant on the north-east. There is a reference to Pyon Wood Camp and a plan in the 'Transactions of the Woolhope Field Club} Bach Camp. See Kimbolton. Brampton Bryan : Coxall. — Coxwall or Coxall Knoll. The hill generally known as Coxall Knoll is situated in a valley about 5 miles east of Knighton,* and has on its summit one of the most discussed camps of Herefordshire and Shropshire. Apart from its supposed associations, the camp is of special interest as, to use the words of Hartshorne : — There is one peculiarity which makes the work remarkable and totally unlike any other example of castrametation in the whole chain of these border forts ... a sort of double camp, as though one part had grown out of the other.' • Trans. Woolhope Field Club (1883-5), 294. ' Ibid. (1895-7), 12 i- ' The boundary lines of Herefordshire and Shropshire run through the camp about 2 miles west oi Leintwardine. Bucknell Railway Station is half a mile to the west. ' Salopia Antiqua (1841), 53. 202
