Part 37

[35] Jan. 1718, between Broadwel and Stow in the Wold, Gloucestershire, a countryman digging a ditch to divide a pasture, found an urn of a green colour: at top it had foliage work; in it thirty pound weight of copper Roman coin, which he sold for six-pence per pound. About a dozen were sent to Dr. Mead, of Constans, Constantine, and Magnentius.

[36] _Acha_, in Irish, is a dike, mound, or bank.

[37] The countess of Warwick was abbess here. _Tiber._ B. XIII. 5. Bibl. Cotton. is her elegium.

[38] Holinshed, in his Hist. Engl. p. 92. says a stone trough full of Roman coin was found at Grantham forty years before: he there gives an account of the golden helmet, &c. found at Harlaxton.

[39] The castle was in the close by the river east of the church: people alive remember foundations of it being dug up. I saw this year, 1726, a large brass Antoninus coin, found near Slade mill, in possession of Mrs. Vincent. Some think the castle was at Captain Hacket’s house, and that it was John of Gaunt’s castle, who had a manor here: however, great foundations are at the place, and arches have been taken up by the Captain; whether belonging to that manor house, castle, or the adjoining St. Peter’s church, now demolished, I know not.

[40] It is a mistake I was led into by the vulgar opinion of the people of Grantham: Mr. Stokes was master of the school in Sir Isaac’s time.

[41] 1726, I saw the tomb-stone of this Robert new dug up, in a stable where was the priory chapel:

ROBERT DE TODĒILE FVDEVR

wrote in large letters with lead cast in them.

[42] I have a brass Claudius, found in Grantham, reverse, +CERES AVGVSTA+, struck on occasion of that universal dearth mentioned by St. Luke. Josephus takes notice of it, Ant. Jud. III. 18.

[43] It contains 26,586 principal wheels, any one of which may be stopped separately, and independent of the rest: one regulator governs the whole work. It works 73,728 yards of silk every time the water-wheel goes round, which is thrice in a minute; 318,504,960 yards of silk in a day and night. A girl of eleven years old does the work of thirty-five persons. One chimney conveys warm air into every room.

[44] Walter Laci gave to the canons of Lanthony the whole valley where the abbey was situate, viz. from Kenentesset and Askareswey, by the _Rudgewey_, to Antefin, and from Haterell, from the land of Sesil Fitzgilbert, by the _Ruggewey_, to the bounds of Talgarth.

[45] An account of these shells in Phil. Trans. p. 427. V. II. Mr. collector Terry tells me they find here vast quantities of antediluvian fir-trees, and peat very deep in the earth: amongst it, a large hollow gold ring, an inch and a half diameter; and a broad thick coin of base gold, full of strange unknown characters on both sides, sold to a goldsmith there; probably an invaluable curiosity.

[46] At Frilsham, a Roman villa by _ad Spinam_, a Roman altar dug up, dedicated to Jupiter, 1730, in the earl of Abingdon’s grounds.

[47] At Froxfield, south of Ramesbury, upon the _via Trinobantica_, a Roman villa discovered anno 1724. under a wood two Mosaic pavements. Lord Winchelsea has the drawings of them. Many antiquities found here.

Howhill near here.

[48] _Lod_ and _Lud_, &c. is a general name for rivers. The river _Loddon_ runs into the Thames between Reading and Henley. _Loddon_, the name of a town upon a rivulet running into the Yare near Yarmouth, Norfolk. _Lutton_, in Holland, Lincolnshire, where all the drains of the country meet. _Ludlow_, and _Ludford_ near it, from the river. _Lidston_, in Devonshire, and _Lidford_, anciently a large town upon the river _Lid_, a branch of the Tamar. _Lidbury_, upon the river _Liden_, Herefordshire. River _Lid_, in Cumberland. _Lidesdale_, _Loder_, in Westmoreland. _Luda_ river and town (Louth) Lincolnshire. _Ludham_, upon a river in Norfolk. _Lug_, in Herefordshire, a river of note. _Loghor_, a river in Glamorganshire. Hence _Luguballia_, _Lugotitia_, _Ludgate_, &c.

[49] Wm. of Malmsbury, p. 65 tells a story he had from this Walkerius.

[50] _In longas orbem qui secuere vias._ +Ovid.+ Amor. II. 16.

[51] Among the old Egyptians, Herodotus tells us, (_Euterpe_) one sort of soldiers was called _Hermotybiæ_; latui _arma_.

[52] The Roman station between London and Hertford (I suppose they had one every ten miles, if conveniently it could be) was probably at Cheshunt, anciently _Cestrehunt_; and it is likely there was a fortification there. Wadesmill retains the name of _Vadum_.

It is very easy to discern where the old Roman road becomes the present road northward, by the alteration of its direction, near a little rill between Wadesmill and Ware. Wadesmill was a Roman ford, _vadum_, _wath_; whence its name: and from hence the Roman road is the common one, or post road, to Chesterton, or _Durobrivæ_, upon the river Nen.

K. Edward senior, in 909, the 9th year of his reign, built a castle there, says H. Hunt; where it is printed _Herefordiam_ instead of _Hertfordiam_. _Castrum non immensum, sed pulcherrimum, inter Beneficiam_ (the Bean) _& Mimera & Luge flumina, &c._

Cestrehunt, Cheshunt, is _via ad castrum_. _Huynt_, _hynt_, is in Welsh a gang, or road, a by-road, short road.

[53] Vast quantities of coins found at Gamlingay, as I am told by Mr. Peck.

[54] June 11, 1729, Mr. Welby of Denton tells me, Gardiner, who keeps the Crown inn at _Camboritum_, lately found many Roman coins there, and sells them for four pence a piece.

[55] Dr. Brady, in his History of England, p. 48. mentions this city. Hollingshed, p. 92. _b._ of his History of England, says a gate of it was standing in his time.

[56] _Et_ camuris _hirtæ sub cornibus aures._ +Virg.+ G. III.

[57] The chalk ends about two miles north of Baldoc and Royston.

[58] The market-place at Royston is a large square area, seemingly of Roman design.

[59] Probably Roisia, wife to Pagan de Beauchamp, Baron 3d of Bedford, who built the castle of Bedford about the time of the Conquest.

[60] May 15, 1732, I rode between Huntingdon and Cambridge, and discovered evidently that it was a Roman road all the way, pointing strait from Godmanchester to Cambridge castle. When I told this to Mr. Roger Gale, then at Cotenham, he said, he had observed that Roman road which lies on Gogmagog hills to point likewise upon Cambridge castle; so that the ford at Cambridge river is originally Roman: and undoubtedly there was a Roman town at Cambridge, for the conveniency of passengers and armies between the _Iceni_ and the northern parts beyond Huntingdon. I apprehend Chesterton and Grantchester were Roman forts and repositories of corn from this country, to be sent to Peterborough, and so by the Cardike into the north: and from the bridge at Cambridge, Bridge street and St. Andrew’s street are continuations, in a very strait line and direction, of the Roman road.

July, 1742, Mr. collector Collins showed me several Roman coins, curious and fair, both silver and large brass, found lately at Gormanchester; Hadrian, Antoninus, Severus.

[61] The Saxon word _stiff_ seems to be the same with the Greek στιβαρος, from στιβειν, to stiffen, _durare_, _roborare_; στυφεω to stiffen, _cogere_, _constringere_: but which is the primitive, I shall not determine. There are many large _tumuli_, by the road-side, at Little and Great Stukeley: so one at the town-end of Stilton northwards, and another on the top of the next hill northward by the road.

[62] Sir Robert Cotton bought the whole room from Foderinghay castle, wherein Mary queen of Scots was beheaded, and set it up here.

[63] Durobrivis was at that Roman work by the river side in Chesterton parish. Allerton, hard by, was anciently wrote _Aldwalton_, _Aldwarkton_.

[64] The Castle field was walled about: perhaps this was originally one of the forts upon the _Antona_, built by A. Plautius before the Roman road was made.

[65] Castre is called a royal manor, Ingulf, p. 497.

It seems likely to me that Kimbolton was the town where Boadicia lived; _Kiseni pant_, the Icenian valley; as she was making homewards, she was met by the Romans at Ravensden, or the Roman valley, where the battle was fought; and that they buried her at Reynold, where the circular antiquity is, by the road side between Bedford and St. Neot’s. It lies near the meadow, and seems to be a British place for celebration of sports.

[66] Mr. Parker, supervisor of excise, gave me a silver _Domitian_ found at Castor; reverse +DIANA+, as usual. I saw a good brass _Galba_ found there.

I have a silver _Hadrian_ found at the true _Durobrivis_, Chesterton; reverse +COS. III.+

Anno 1731 the people of Bernac dug up some urns, with coins in them, near the Roman road passing through that parish. Mr. Archdeacon Payn showed me a brass _Magnentius_: there were many urns, coins, a brass _fibula_, tweezers, &c. dug up. I suppose it was a family burying-place of the Roman villa at Walcot.

Mr. Terry, collector, gave me a good brass _Vespasian_, reverse +AVGVSTI+, found at Uffington.

[67] _Wansford_ is _Avonsford_.

[68] Many Roman coins found at Wilsthorp, upon the old Hermen-street: it was a Roman station, being the same distance from _Durobrivis_ on the old street, as Brigcasterton on the new.

[69] I have several brass coins, found in the fields by Ryhall, in the neighbourhood of Brigcasterton; particularly a large _Nero_, of Corinthian brass; reverse, +VICTORIA AVGVSTI+: another; reverse, a victory +S. C.+ a _Trajan_, of Corinthian brass; reverse, +CERES. S. C.+ _Maximian_, reverse, +GENIO POP. ROM.+ _Constantinus Aug._ reverse, +PRINCIPI JUVENTUT.+ exergue PLN. percussa Londini Constans Felix temp. repar. Nerva. _Trajan_; reverse, +COS. IIII. P. P.+ _Claud Gothicus_.

Mr. Beaupre Bell gave me a fair _Sev. Pertinax_, middle brass, found in Tickencote lane.

I saw a silver _denarius_ of Pompey, found in Castreton field, 1733, the first in second plate of Patin’s famil. Rom. Pompeia.

I have a middle-sized brass coin of Nero, found at Brigcasterton, +S P Q R+ stamped on the neck. I saw a large _Severus Pertinax_, brass, found there, Mr. Foden’s. Dec. 7, 1731. Lord Ganesborough showed me a fair large brass _Divo Antonino_, reverse, the Antonine column, dug up in Exton church-yard.

Pickworth church, to the right, was burnt down, together with the then populous town, by the rebels in Henry the Seventh’s time; and all now lies in ruins. At the same time Hornfield and Hardwick demolished. Pickworth steeple, a very fine spire, and seen all round the country, was taken down about A. D. 1728, to build a sorry bridge at Wakerley. I saw the lower part of the steeple anno 1731, when it was pulled down to build a bridge by Casterton. There was a pretty church and an ancient one at Ingthorp, now turned into a dwelling-house.

[70] Sir Isaac was born at Wolsthorp, a hamlet of Colsterworth. Some part of the high dike remains perfect enough in the fields over-against Colsterworth.

[71] A silver _Trajan_, found by the high dike in ditching near the Woodnolk in Little Paunton parish, was sent by Madam Eyre, of Eastwell, to Lady Oxford.

Many Roman coins found at Strawston, in possession of my neighbour Andrew Hacket, esq. and vaults dug up there: it is near Paunton.

William de Vesci gave the church of Ancaster to the nuns at Walton; to the knights Templars he gave the churches of Cathorp and Normanton; to the canons of Sempringham, and nuns of Ormsby, the hermitage at Spaldingholme.

[72] The name of _Kesteven_ undoubtedly came from _Causennis_; but Brigcasterton is really out of that division: Paunton is in the midway of it. Many arched vaults under ground about Paunton Magna: in one of them some coiners lodged for some weeks.

[73] Mrs. Woodward gave me a silver _Antoninus_ upon his consecration, found at Ancaster: she says, one morning she was there, a labourer brought home a dozen Roman coins just then found.

[74] Roman coins are found at Thistleton, near Post Witham, and at Market Overton: two large _tumuli_ in a valley, near a division-dike, on that beautiful plain called Saltby heath.

I saw a fine brass _Alexander_, Roman; reverse, +PROVIDENTIA+, a Genius with a _cornucopia_ and ear of corn.

A mile off Stretton, between Stamford and Grantham, between Stretton and Market Overton, is a place called the Holmes, where they find vast quantities of Roman coins. Mr. Parker, supervisor, gave me several, of the low empire: after a shower of rain, on the ploughed ground, they find them plentifully. No doubt but this was a Roman town. I viewed it with Mr. Baron Clark, of Scotland, May 30, 1733: it is a villa, or shepherd’s town, upon a delightful plain: there is an old well, which is new scoured, and the foundation of a wall that inclosed a kind of a court: it is near Thistleton.

Mr. William Annis gave me a brass _Magnentius_, found at Honington; reverse +FELICITAS REIPUELICÆ+.

[75] A Roman Mosaic pavement found in the fields above Denton, February 1727–8, of which I sent an account to the Royal Society.

[76] I saw in possession of Mr. Terry of Lincoln, found at Ledenham, a Corinthian brass coin obliterated, with three holes bored in it.

Over the parson’s gate of Ledenham an inscription of the famous John Dee, minister here.

[77] Ninnius says, Vortimer the British prince was buried here.

[78] The castle of Lincoln was made by the Saxon kings, repaired by William the Conqueror.

[79] Captain Pownal gave me a brass _Fausta_, wife of Constantine, found in a barrow near Lincoln, +SPES+.

Mr. S. Buck gave me a Crispus Nob. C. brass, found in the rubbish of a house, reverse, +BEATA TRANQUILLITAS P L C.+ struck at Lincoln.

Captain Pownal told me they found coins, scatteringly, as they dug up a Roman _tumulus_ near Lincoln, anno 1727.

Sept. 2, 1731, I accompanied Mr. Roger Gale, in his journey to Yorkshire, as far as Lincoln, (Dr. Knight of Bluntsham with us) just before they had dug up the foundation of the Roman east gate toward Banovallum: the stones exceeding large, cramped with iron. Lord Burlington was present.

This summer they found two Roman tombs by the quarries on the same Banovallum road; four great stones set together like a coffin, and one on the top: there were in it the bones of a man, with urns, lacrymatories, and coins.

[80] More brass _armillæ_ in the _tumuli_.

[81] All the fields about Allington, Fosston, &c. are covered over with petrified shells of a particular kind of oyster; they call them there crow-stones.

[82] So _Sedetani_, a people of Spain, in Silius are called _Hedetani_; by Ptolemy, _Segesta_, a town in Sicily, _Egesta_, &c.

[83] I saw a coin found here, brass, of Claudius; reverse, a soldier with a shield throwing the pile.

[84] The countess of Warwick, whose maiden name was Wray, gave the manor to Magdalen college, Cambridge.

[85] ——_Partes ubi se via findit in ambas._

[86] June 7. 1732, Mr. John Ash showed me some Roman coins found at Ludford by Market Raisin, where he says they find very many: it is fourteen miles from Lincoln, and probably a Roman station upon the Fossway going toward the sea: the coins were of Constantius Cl. Gothicus, &c.

[87] In Bede it is called _Tunnaceaster_, from Tunna the owner, a Saxon, IIII. 22.

[88] The _Thane_ was a _count_, or minister of the king. Tong castle, in Shropshire, upon the head of the Severn.

[89] Near Stanford, in old writings, the Hermen street is sometimes called the Foss.

[90] Vide Ogilby’s Survey, [p. 207].

[91] Godfrid abbot of Peterborough built a new roof and chapel at Collingham, which cost him 57l. 15s. 1d. says Walter Whittlesey, [p. 162]. this was about 1316. July 10, 1729, the reverend Mr. Welby of Scaleford gave me a coin or two, Roman, found near the Foss at Crocolana; one remarkably corroded, seemingly of Corinthian brass.

[92] Turketil Hoche gave it, says Hugo Candidus.

I saw two Roman coins found at Crocolana, 28. Apr. 1728. There is a long old wall.

[93] April 28, 1728, I saw at Newark two Roman coins, lately found at Brough: they say there is a long old wall there.

[94] Mr. Twells of Newark sent me four Roman coins dug up in the fields by Newark; a Magnentius, pretty fair; reverse, P. Antoninus Pius; two large Trajans, but defaced.

I guess Newark was built in the later Roman times, for its commodiousness upon the Trent, and exhausted the neighbouring Brough: both being destroyed by the plundering Danes, perhaps were repaired in after-ages, and called Newark.

My cousin, Edmund Dickenson esq. gave me a large brass Verus found in Newark fields, 1729, obliterated; an Hadrian found there.

Oct. 7. 1731, I satisfied myself that this was the long-sought-for episcopal see called _Sidnacester_.

I saw a gold Gratian, reverse, +VICTORIA AUG. G.+ found at Thoroton; in my brother Collins’s possession. The rev. Mr. Guy, of Long Benington, says they find Roman coins in the fields thereabouts.

[95] Newark castle built by Alexander bishop of Lincoln.

[96] April 17, 1730, I heard, in the neighbourhood, of Roman pavements dug up there, and coins. Burton, in his _Leicestershire_, speaks of antiquities found here.

Upon the Foss-way hereabouts was found a large and fine medallion of Corinthian brass inclosed with wax: among other coins, the head of the emperor +M. ANTONINUS AUG. TRP. XXVII.+ reverse, the head of his son +COMMODUS CÆS. GERM. ANTONINI AUG. GERM. FIL.+ it is of that kind of medals called _contorniati_. I think it was found in an urn, with a coin or two more.

[97] At this camp of _Vernometum_, as in divers others, the two _brachia_ advancing inwards of the gate, verge a little to the left: the design of it, as I apprehend, is to expose so much the more the right side of an enemy entering, who have their shields on their left.

[98] A Roman pavement found, 1721, at Medburn cum Holt, near Harborough, Leicestershire.

[99] Mr. Lee of Leicester informs me of a Roman urn, in his possession, found at High-cross; digging for a vault in the church, for the late lord Denbigh, they found a dozen of them covered with Roman bricks.

[100] _Cincl squit, natio Guidelia_, the Irish nation: so they now call themselves.

[101] Near Bensford bridge and Lutterworth, a vast quantity of silver Roman coins found anno 1725, now in possession of Mr. Walter Reynolds, steward to lord Denbygh of Lutterworth. I saw many of Trajan, Hadrian, Nerva, Vespasian, two large brass Trajans. Feb. 9. 1726, I saw the following in silver.

Vespasianus Aug. _reverse_, Judæa. _A prisoner under a trophy_ ———————————————— pon. max. tr. p. cos. v. _A caduceus._ Vesp. Aug. imp. Cæsar pontif. maxim. _A caduceus._ Imp. Cæs. Vesp. Aug. Cen. pontif. max sedens cum hasta in dex. flore in læva Vespasianus Cæsar _a sow and three pigs._ imp. III. Imp. Cæs. Ner. Trajan optm. Aug. _rev._ p. m. tr. p. cos. S. p. q. r. Ger. &c. _A genius of plenty_ Imp. Cæs. Nerva Trajan Aug. Germ. pont. max. tr. pot. cos. II. Genius sedens Imp. Cæs. Nerva Trajan Aug. Germ. p. m. tr. p. cos. IIII. p. f. _A genius of plenty_ Imp. Cæs. Trajan p. m. tr. p. cos. II. justitia. Genius sedens Trajano Aug. Ger. Dac. S. p. q. r. opt. principi. _Genius of plenty._ Imp. Trajano Aug. Ger. Dac. p. m. cos. v. p. p. s. p. q. r. opt. princ. tr. p. Genius cum pavone Trajano Aug. Ger. Dac. p. m. tr. p. S. p. q. r. optimo principi. Mars cos. II. p. p. gradivus Imp. Trajano Aug. Ger. Dac. p. m. S. p. q. r. optimo principi. Genius tr. p. cos. V. p. p. sacrificans Imp. Trajano Aug. Ger. Dac. p. m. S. p. q. r. optimo principi. Columna tr. p. cos. VI. p. p. Trajana 4 +ANTXAICNETPAIANOCCEBTEPM+ ΔΗΜΕΣ IIIII 0 0 Imp. Trajano Aug. Ger. Dac. p. m. S. p. q. r. optimo principi. Genius cum tr. p. cos. V. p. p. bilance Imp. Trajano Aug. Ger. Dac. p. m. S. p. q. r. optimo principi. Genius cum tr. p. cos. VI. p. p. puero Imp. Trajano Aug. Ger Dac. p. m. tr. cos. VI. p. p. s. p. q. r. opt pr. Vesta p. sed. cum victoriola Imp. Trajano Aug. Ger. Dac. p. m. cos. V. p. p. s. p. q. r. opt. pr. tr. p. Genius stans cum prora Imp. Cæsar Trajan Hadrianus Aug. p. m. tr. p. cos. III. Genius cum caduceo Imp. Cæsar Trajan Hadrianus Aug. p. m. tr. p. cos. III. _A female in the posture of imploring_ Hadrianus Aug. cos. m. p. p. salus Aug. Hygeia Hadrianus Augustus cos. III. Genius armatus sedens Imp. Cæsar Trajan Hadrianus Aug. p. m. tr. p. cos. III. _a genius with two bustos in her hands_ Hadrianus Aug. cos. III. p. p. Africa Genia Nili procumbens Imp. Cæsar Trajan Hadrianus Aug. p. m. tr. p. cos. III. Genius sedens sacrificans Imp. Cæsar Trajan Hadrianus Aug. p. m. tr. p. cos. Fortuna sedens cum prora Imp. Cæsar Trajan Hadrianus Aug. p. m. tr. p. cos. III. Genius nudus sacrificans Hadrianus Augustus cos. +III.+ Hercules sedens cum victoriola —————————————————— ——————————— Victoria sedens Imp. Cæsar Trajan Hadrianus Aug. p. m. tr. p. cos. III. Fortuna stans Hadrianus Aug. cos. III. p. p. moneta Aug. Genius cum bilance Imp. Cæsar Trajan Hadrianus Aug. p. m. tr. p. cos. III. salus. Hygeia sedens ——————————————————————————————————— ————————————— Genius nudus sacrificans Antoninus Augustus p. p. _reverse_, cos. pulvinar cum fulmine ælius Cæsar tr. pot. cos. II. Concord. victoria sedens Faustina Vesta pulvinar Sabina Augusta Concordia Aug. genia stans cum patera

These being all of the higher empire, and many excellently well cut, indicate that they were hid early, and perhaps about this time, that the Watling-street was made: they were found in a hole in the fields between Loughborow and the Watling-street, with about a dozen more than here described.

Wickliff lived at Lutterworth, his picture in the parsonage. Mr. Button of Kimcote, near here, a curious man. Wickliff’s pulpit still left. A petrifying spring at Lutterworth.

[102] _Magus_ rather signifies originally a field, or plain, and where probably the old Britons had their religious ceremonies, sports, and races, &c. the barrows too hereabout indicate here has been an ancient British temple, and I suppose the name of _Long Meg and her daughters_, at the British temple in Cumberland, only the remains of the original name _Magus_.