Ancient British coins have been found at Brightwell, Newbury,
Wallingford, and at other places in Berkshire. Many of them bear on one
side a rude representation of a horse, probably an imitation of the
horse on the gold stater of Philip II of Macedon, who became king in
B.C. 359. These gold coins, known as Philips, were current in Greece
and in the East for a long period, and have been occasionally found
in circulation even in modern times. The White Horse, which is cut
in the turf on the chalk hill above Uffington, bears a considerable
resemblance to the horse on the British coins, and may very probably
be of the same date.
There are a great number of mounds and earthworks scattered over
Berkshire, and it is exceedingly difficult to assign to them their
proper dates. We have already mentioned Wayland Smith's Cave as
the remains of a long barrow of the Neolithic Period, and we have
also referred to the round barrows of the Bronze Age. Some of the
fortifications may date from these early times but many are probably
of later date. It was for a long time needful to provide defence for
the dwellings, not only against men, but also against wild animals,
and the earthworks were no doubt used over and over again by successive
peoples.
As we have said, the chalk district was at one time the most populous
part of the county, and we consequently find the downs dotted over with
mounds and earthworks of very ancient date. Perhaps the best known of
these is the fine earthwork named Uffington Castle on White Horse Hill
(see p. 7). Alfred's Castle is a circular earthwork close to Ashdown
Park and three miles south-west of Uffington Castle. Letcombe Castle
is another fair-sized work on the Ridge Way, rather more than five
miles east of White Horse Hill. There is a large earthwork called
Danish Camp on Blewburton Hill to the south of Didcot.
There are a few old earthworks in the Vale of White Horse district. One
crowns Badbury Hill near Faringdon. Cherbury Camp is a large oval work
on low ground near Buckland. Sinodun Hill to the north of Wallingford
has evidently been fortified in early times, and Wallingford itself
has the remains of an old and extensive earthwork round the town.
Passing to the Forest District we find many mounds and banks on the
heaths, and there is one very fine earthwork known as Caesar's Camp
near Easthampstead. It was very likely used by the Romans, but is
almost certainly of still older date. Finally it is highly probable
that Windsor Castle stands on the site of an old fort.
16. ANTIQUITIES--(B) ROMAN AND SAXON.
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