- 344 ROMAN ROADS, CAMPS, AND EARTHWORKS,
place ; for in ancient writings the name is Ravenswath, and wath is the Anglo-Saxon word signifying a '^ ford/' occa- sionally used in this sense in the present day by the old inhabitants of the North Riding. The antiquities of this castle have been already described in topographical works, and do not come within the imme- diate object of this paper. The Norman family of Fitzhugh possessed this place. These are the only camps, or places of defence, within the triangular district ; but, as there are others in the neighbour- hood which may be considered to form a part of the defences of the whole country, a notice of them may not be out of place here. MAIDEN CASTLE. About nine miles to the south-west of Castle Steads camp, and about a mile south-west of Reeth,^ at the junction of Arkendale with Swaledale, are the remains of a camp, with two tumuli, called Maiden Castle.^ The importance of this position will be admitted, when we view it with respect to Castle Steads on the north ; to Brough (Bracchium X), nearly equally distant on the south ; and the mountainous mining district around. The camp is about 130 3^ards by 90, of an irregular figure, suited to the shape of the ground, which is a ledge in the side of the rapidly descending hill, on the south of the Swale, about twelve miles above Richmond. The defences consist of a strong rampart and ditch, which are both in tolerably good preservation ; the entrance on the west seems to have been defended by a tumulus, about 200 yards from the gate. On the east, an approach of about 70 yards in length, with a strong rampart on each side, terminates with another tumulus on the north side of the entrance, at about 20 yards from the outer gate. There is a singular line of entrenchment, about a mile or less to' the eastward of Maiden Castle, and half a mile above •' This name is supposed to bo derived ' This name, which occurs so often from th(> n(,'ar neii^lihourhood of the cam]); attached to fortified places, is, perhaps, jirohably a corruption of Jiath, the Erse derived from maes-dun. British maes, a name for a fort, or ])laco of defence, com- field ; also a haifle, a fiijlit, (T. Richard's mon in Ireland (Rathcale, Rathcormick, Dictionai'y) ; and (tew, a liill, & fortress. &c. &c.) Reeth is in the; parish of Grendon.
