Monument record 0015900000 - THE WILDERNESS, MUSWELL HILL

Dimensions - Length 0078 m Length 0072
Plan Form - SQUARE
SOME RAMPARTS OF EARTH, PART OF AN OBLONG SQUARE ENTRENCHMENT, ABOUT 100 YARDS N-S AND 80 FROM E-W, CONJECTURED TO HAVE BEEN A SUMMER CAMP OF THE ROMANS, BUT OF WHICH NO ACCOUNT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN PRESERVED. BANKS ARE 10 YARDS IN WIDTH AND 3 IN HEIGHT ON THE E SIDE (BEING PART OF COUNTY BOUNDARY LINE) AND ENCLOSING AN AREA NOW CALLED THE BOWLING-GREEN IN WHICH ARE MANY FINE LARGE SYCAMORE TREES OF GREAT AGE: BUT ALL TRACES OF THE OUTWORKS HAVE BEEN OBLITERATED BY THE PLOUGH (B1).
SPOT NOW CALLED THE WILDERNESS (B2).
IN PLAN ALMOST AN EXACT SQUARE OF 90 YARDS, LEVEL AREA IS SURROUNDED BY A MASSIVE BANK, 30FT BROAD AT BASE AND RAISED 4-5FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. IF WORK WAS MEDIEVAL ONE WOULD EXPECT TO SEE UNMISTAKABLE SIGNS OF AN EXTERIOR DITCH OR MOAT, BUT IF NOT MEDIEVAL, IMPOSSIBLE TO EXPLAIN EXTRAORDINARY STATE OF PRESERVATION. NO PARTICULAR REASON TO CALL IT ROMAN - AREA TOO SMALL FOR A PERMANENT STATION. [PLAN](B3).
SQUARE ENTRENCHMENT DESCRIBED AS A 'ROMAN CAMP' (B4,B7).
SQUARE ENCLOSURE, SIDES C70 YARDS LONG, NEAR SUMMIT OF HILL, BUT COMMANDED BY HIGHER GROUND ON S SIDE. DEFINED BY FLAT-TOPPED BANK RISING 4FT ABOVE INTERIOR LEVEL, & TRACES OF OUTSIDE DITCH. GAPS IN MIDDLE OF E & W SIDES PROBABLY ORIGINAL (B5).
PARTLY TREE-COVERED IN 1961 (B6).