Review of EBT

Early British Trackways. By Alfred Watkins. Simpkin Marshall, Hamilton Kent & Co., London. 4s 6d net.

Mr Alfred Watkins, whose name is known to all photographers, deals here with an archæological subject, and offers a new theory on trackways, moats, mounds, camps, and sites. The substance of the book was a lecture given to the Woolhope Naturalists’ Field Club at Hereford. Summarising his conclusions, he lays down the proposition that from the neolithic age on past the Roman occupation all trackways were in straight lines marked out by experts on a sighting system. Such sighting lines were from natural mountain peak to mountain peak with further marking points on the lower ground. These secondary marking points were constructed of earth, water, or stone, trees being also planted on the line. Between the sighting points the trackways ran straight, except in case of physical impossibility. Sighting points were used for commerce and for assemblies of the people. All forms of sighting points became objects of superstition and genuine veneration, and as such were utilised on the introduction of Christianity. Practically all ancient churches are on the sites of these sighting points and in time homesteads clustered round these sighting points. These are Mr Watkins’ main contentions. Whether he has proved them or not is another question. He has, however, opened up a new line of inquiry, and given a bent to speculation as to the origins that may be fruitful. The writer claims that he has made “a big discovery.” He also gives us the date of it pretty nearly, for he says that up to 30th June last he knew nothing of what he now communicates, and had no theories. One might remark that archæologists and other scientific workers do not trumpet their discoveries in this confident fashion. Mr Watkins illustrates his book with numerous photographs.