Poundbury, I am intirely persuaded, was a camp of Vespasian’s, when he was busy hereabouts in the conquest of the _Belgæ_, therefore ancienter than the adjacent Roman city: the situation, the bulk, and the manner of it, so much resembling that by Ambsbury, engages me into that sentiment: it stands half a mile west of Dorchester, upon the brink of the river, which is very steep, in form square: the rampart high, but the ditch inconsiderable, except at the angle by the river; the reason is, because standing on high ground, they dug the earth clear away before it, and threw it intirely into a _vallum_; so that its height and steepness, wherein its strength consists, is the same as if a regular ditch was made in level ground. The chief entrance was on the south side: there seems likewise to have been an entrance next the river, but made with great art; for a narrow path is drawn all along between the edge of the precipice and the _vallum_, so that it was absolutely impossible to force an entry that way: beside, I observe, beyond the camp, for a long way, a small trench is cut upon the said edge, which seems designed to prevent the ascent of cavalry, if they should pass the river: the ground of the camp rises in the middle, as was usual among the Romans in their choice. There is a _tumulus_ too, which I imagine is Celtic, and extant before the camp was made: this levelled a little might serve for the _prætorium_. A very good prospect from hence all around. The name is taken from its inclosure as a pound; for here they call a circle of stones round a _tumulus_, a pound. [Sidenote: +Maiden Castle.+ _a_ Ro. _Camp_.] The other camp, called Maiden Castle, was undoubtedly the _Æsiiva_ of the Durnovarian garrison:[134] it is of a vast extent, and prodigiously strong, apparently of much later date than the foregoing, its manner savouring of inferior times of the empire: it has every where a double ditch of extraordinary depth, and a double rampire, in some places treble or more: it takes in the whole summit of a great hill: within it seems as if two camps, a ditch and _vallum_ running across, with each its entry of very perplexed work; several ditches with cross entries lapping over one another, as we may well express it; especially westward, where their number may be affirmed half a score. Certainly, for healthful air and prospect, a most delightful place; _Heic Veneris vario florentia serta decore, Purpureo campos quæ pingit avena colore. Hinc auræ dulces, hinc suavis spiritus agri._ +Virg.+ and, for sight of barrows, I believe not to be equalled in the world; for they reach ten miles. What further remains to be said of Dorchester, is the noble amphitheatre, of which your lordship first gave me the hint; therefore most justly are you intitled to the following description of it. [Illustration: 61 VINDOMA. _4 Aug. 1722_ Peritura Moenia Stylo renovavit _Ger. Vander Gucht_. _Stukeley Designavit._]