ANCIENT EARTHWORKS at other points. The entrenchments are vague, and were never of great power, but appear to have varied according to the actual needs of the part to be strengthened. The inner fall upon the north-west and south- west sides above the fosse is perhaps rather owing to the rise of the hill above the entrenchments than an intentional scarp. The position commands a view to the east to the Marcle Hills 3 J miles off, and west across the Wye valley for about the same distance. Like many Herefordshire hill-forts this work has been attributed to the Romans ; it is said to have been held in temporary opposition to the British camp on Capler Hill — but we see no evidence to suggest that origin. Little seems to have been recorded respecting the camp, or any discoveries therein," and no care has been taken to prevent its embankments from being effaced. Herefordshire Beacon. See Colwall. HuMBER : RisBURY Camp. — Risbury is a township partly in the parish of Humber and partly in Stoke Prior, the camp being a little over 3 miles from Leominster in a south-easterly direction. Unlike most fortresses of its type it occupies a position in a valley and depended for protection on the formidable character of its main vallum and fosse, being little aided by natural slopes and scarps. On the north-west and west, however, the ground declines to streams, and probably there was morass, or marsh, enough on those sides to afford some added protec- tion ; consequently there less outer entrenchments were made than elsewhere. Notwithstand- ing its position and the fact that the land on the east is higher than the level of the camp, Risbury is one of the strongest fortifications in Herefordshire, inclosing altogether 25 acres, the inner camp being a level space of about 8 acres. The leading feature of the work is the great inner vallum or rampart above mentioned, unfortunately partly destroyed and lowered, but still from 6 ft. to 1 5 ft. high from the in- side, and from 16 ft. to 27 ft. on the outside where it drops into the surrounding fosse. When this earthen rampart was last opened it was found to inclose a dry-built stone wall which, alas ! has proved a handy quarry. The entrenchments outside this 347 rr otove 5tQ Risbury Camp, Humber " Gough, in his Additions to Camden's Britannia (1789), ii, 462, simply mentions the camp as 'square and nameless.' 213
