DISCOVERY OF AN ANCIENT CITY NEAR EDINBURGH.

Evening Post, Issue 8, 16 February 1865, Page 3

DISCOVERY OF AN ANCIENT CITY NEAR EDINBURGH.

The Scotsman gives the following interestMtc particulars ;— We" have to notice a diss»very of great antiquarian interest, made chiefly through the instrumentality of Mr. Hutchiion, of OfU-lourle, viz , ihe remains of an ancient British town on the western side of Criiigiehill, on the LililithgoW side of theAlriiond River. Many years ago, when cutting a rortd through CrafgiehM, between Kirkliston and Crathend, the workmen came ( upon a stone klst, the end of which is still to be »een projecting from the bank over the carriage way. Several attempts have been made' by archaeologists to unravel the mystery of this memento of bygone ages, but without effect. Some time' ago, Professor Simpson, in one of his wanderings.-thought he had observed oq the hill indications of an ancient British city ; and recently he wrote to Mr. Hutchison on the matter, requesting him' to obtain permissidn from thepioprietor of the hill, Mr. Hopa,Vare, to make explorations. The permission was at once readily and cordially granted, and on Friday, October 21, Mr, Hutchison examined the hill j and his men, after some search, came upon traces of three walls or ramparts, enclosing a space near the western top of the hill, upon which were numerous raised circular rings of stones, apparently the foundations of such dwellings as our rude forefathers are known to have occupied. On the following clay Professor Simpson, accompanied by Dr. Macbean and Mr. Hutchison, made a much more extensive and systematic investigation, the result of which was that they exposed portions of the faces of the three lines of walls, and one of the raised circles inside. They were also fortunate enough to discover a gate which had formed one of the entrances to the encampment. The ramparts are arranged in a fortified manner, as parallel*, and towards that part of the hill from which alone any attack could be made, the other sides presenting natural barriers, which, in those times, no invading force could have hoped to overcome. Excaviitious were made behind the old stone kist, which would seem to have been placed just outside the city walls, but notfiing of interest was found there. We unJerstand that Professor Simpson is preparing an elaborate paper on the whole subject, which is to be submitted to it meeting of the Antiquarian Society during the ensuing session. It is not | improble that, in the distiict where this discovery has been made, there will yet be found other memorials, throwing light upon the habits and customs of the ancient Britons.