IN THE NORTH RIDING OF YORKSHIRE. 219 About 1100 yards to the east of Diderston Hill is an entrenched spot with the ruins of some building on it, called Grange Castle. In the parish register of Melsonby at an early period (1587) an entry occurs frequently of " Didersey'* Grange," which is supposed to refer to this enclosure. From the appearance of the entrenchment it would seem to have been a Roman camp to defend the signal post ; but, as the masonry has been decided by a competent judge to be medieval, we must suppose the building to have been con- structed subsequently to the camp ; this is the more probable, as the foundations do not extend over the whole of the interior of the work, nor touch the rampart in any part. This appears to be the " square platform, with a small one in the middle resembling a table, both of which are entrenched," mentioned by Warburton ; ^ but, if by his " larger piece of ground entrenched in the figure of a triangle on the south-west of the above," he meant the elevated spot called Gilling Bank, this seems to have nothing more on it than the rubbish from a quarry. At Diderston the Way gains its greatest altitude, being 6 70 feet above the sea ; and a change in the line takes place of about two degrees to the northward. This inclination is still further continued in order to pass the stream at Mains Gill, the modern road coinciding in the bend. On the top of Dunsey Bank the altitude is about 610 feet above the sea ; here the road bears still further to the north, till it has descended part of the hill, when it bears away south towards Smallways, to pass the brook with the advantage of higher ground, and a better foundation than could have been found by continuing the straight line. At 120 yards beyond Smallways the modern road returns to the original line, and we must suppose that the Roman Way followed the same course, for there are no traces of any other Hne. Thence with small deviations it runs to Greta ^ Bridge, and probably passed the river a little below the present
- This name is spelt in various ways, British 'F-f/)e-f7u», — the " Home near the
Diderston, Diddorsk'y, and Didcrsey ; in hill," or the" Camp." Domesday wc find, " iMalsanabi and Dir- ■ Lansdowne JISS., 911. — Pp. 164-5. dreston." The height of Diderston Hill is f" Perhaps the name of this river may about 700 feet above the sea. be derived from Griota — " Pebbles," — (old Its derivation is possibly from the Norse, or Danish) and ^E — a " Stream."
