In 1878, Professor T. Rupert Jones, F.R.S., communicated to _Nature_
a short notice of "English Lake-Dwellings and Pile-Structures," in
which, after drawing attention to the previously published articles of
General Lane Fox and Sir Charles Bunbury, he writes as follows:--
"Since writing the above I have been informed that Mr. W. M. Wylie,
F.S.A., referred to this fact in _Archæologia_, vol. xxxviii., in a
note to his excellent memoir on lake-dwellings. I can add, however,
that remains of _Cervus elaphus_ (red deer), _C. dama_? (fallow deer),
_Ovis_ (sheep), _Bos longifrons_ (small ox), _Sus scrofa_ (hog), and
_Canis_ (dog), were found here, according to information given me by
the late C. B. Rose, F.G.S., of Swaffham, who also stated in a letter
dated August 11th, 1856, that in adjoining meres, or sites of ancient
meres, as at Saham, Towey, Carbrook, Old Buckenham, and Hargham,
cervine remains have been met with; thus at Saham and Towey, _Cervus
elaphus_ (red deer); at Buckenham, _Bos_ (ox) and _Cervus capreolus_
(roebuck); at Hargham, _Cervus tarandus_ (reindeer).
"The occurrence of flint implements and flakes in great numbers on
the site of a drained lake between Sandhurst and Frimley, described
by Captain C. Cooper King in the _Journal of the Anthropological
Institute_, January, 1873, p. 365, etc., points also in all
probability to some kind of lake-dwelling, though timbers were not
discovered.
"Lastly, the late Dr. S. Palmer, F.S.A., of Newbury, reported to the
Wiltshire Archæological Society in 1869 that oaken piles and planks
had been dug out of boggy ground on Cold Ash Common, near Faircross
Pond, not far from Hermitage, Berks." (B. 312, p. 424.)
The following is Dr. Palmer's notice of the pile-structures at Cold
Ash Common above referred to:--
"Recurring to the antiquities of the peat proper, I would refer to the
subject of lake-dwellings. I do not despair of finding them in our
neighbourhood, for I believe traces of them have been found near Cold
Ash, some such structure having been uncovered in digging bog-earth
for horticultural purposes. It was circular, measuring 30 feet across,
and the planks were 16 to 18 feet in length, roughly hewn, and with
beams crossing from side to side, and resting on the piles. There was
also a kind of causeway to it. It was on the borders of a morass, the
resort of wild fowl within the memory of man. The general appearance
of the valley at this place leads me to surmise that it was not long
since covered with water; there is still a pond in the centre. The
bog-earth had been carted away before I heard of the discovery, so
that I had no chance of examining it for animal or other remains."
The editor of the _Transactions of the Newbury District Field Club_
adds the following note to the above extract:--
"Mr. Walter Money, F.S.A., has gathered some information about this
interesting relic of the past. It is situated on a part of what was
Cold Ash Common ... and has long been known as 'Wild Duck Pond;' it
is now an oval piece of water, not much more than 20 feet across,
surrounded by arable land.
"About thirty years ago, before the Common was enclosed, the season
being dry, the 'Wild Duck Pond' was cleared by Mr. Whiting, of
Longlane Gate, who thought the accumulated soil or mud might be useful
on the land. After the removal of the top soil, some rough timber
framing was met with, lying across the centre of the pit, forming, it
would seem, a rude platform. A space was cleared about ten feet deep,
where a heavy log of oak was found lying across from side to side.
This was not removed. The work was then abandoned; the soil taken out
being found to be of no use to the land. About thirteen years ago,
the excavation was repeated by Mr. Lancaster, the then tenant of this
part of Col. Loyd-Lindsay's property; but the investigation was not
pursued far, and the water having flowed into the digging, 'Wild Duck
Pond' was again restored nearly to its former condition." (_Trans. of
Newbury District Field Club_, vol. ii. p. 148.)
Remains suggestive of a pile-structure were also observed by Mr. Dolby
in 1870 in one of the ponds at Fence Wood, near Hermitage. Here in
digging they found "a sort of pyramidal dwelling beneath the ground,
the roof being covered with clay about a foot thick. This roof was
supported by a large piece of timber, some twenty-six feet long,
which they had got out. There were causeways there also at a depth of
fifteen or sixteen feet. The water had long since rushed in and filled
up the excavation, so that nothing further is known of this place."
(_Ibid._, vol. i. p. 123.)