Page:Surrey Archaeological Collections Volume 1.djvu/318

thing Down are traces of three dykes; on the hill ascending from Smitham Bottom are several small barrows; on the top of Riddlesdown, just beyond the sheep-pond, on the right-hand side as we proceed from Purley oaks, are the remains of two ancient banks and double ditches; the direction of these points to the similar works at the entrance of Hoolley Lane from Smitham Bottom. (Manning's Surrey, vol. ii. p. 448.) Our Cold Harbour Lane, too, leads towards "The Oaks," at Woodcote, a place which disputes with Croydon for the site of Noviomagus, the chief city, according to Camden, of the Regni.

From a retrospect, then, of the natural temptations which this district would assuredly offer to the early visitors of our island, we should anticipate that it would be selected by them for the site of their habitations; and when we consider the number of places around the town with names of apparently Celtic origin, we may perhaps fairly conclude, that here dwelt, from the earliest periods when mankind inhabited our country, a well-placed population and a numerous and influential pagan priesthood. The mere faint "casts" (as the geologists would say) of their foot-prints I have endeavoured to detect, with the hope that my imperfect attempts will excite my hearers to extended inquiries, and to far more satisfactory results.