Along the southern part of the vale of the Severn, beginning at the Somersetshire Avon, and extending upwards of forty miles in a north easterly direction, may be traced a chain of Ancient Fortresses, so situated as to be capable of communicating with each other by signal: but before a description of them is attempted, it will be satisfactory to give a slight one of the surrounding country, and also an extract from Taylor's Map of Gloucestershire, loosely taken on a reduced scale, [PI. XI.] in which is inserted the names of a few large and well known towns, in order to give the bearings, and also those of several other places of less notoriety, but which will afford entertainment to those who are fond of antiquities of various sorts.