(_To the Editor of the Mirror_.)
There has been much discussion among antiquaries respecting the
etymology of an ancient Roman road, called the Watling Street Way,
which commencing from Dover, traces its course to London, St. Alban's,
Weedon, over _Bensford Bridge_,[1] High Cross, Atherstone, Wall,
Wroxeter, and Chester, from which last place a branch appears to point
in nearly a straight direction through St. Asaph to Segontium, or Caer
Seiont, Carnarvonshire. Another branch directs its course from
Wroxeter to Manchester, York, Lancaster, Kendal, and Cockermouth.
Hoveden thinks it was called the Watling Street from Wathe, or Wathla,
a British king. Spelman fancies it was called Werlam Street, from its
passing through Verulam. Somner derives the name from the Belgic
Wentelen, _volvere, versare se, a sinuosis flexibus_. Baxter contends
that it was made by the original Britons, Weteling, or Oedeling
signifying in their language, _originarius civis vel ingenuus_.
Stukeley's opinion, in which he is joined by Whitaker, the Manchester
historian, is, that it was the Guetheling road--Sarn Guethelin, or the
road of the Irish, the G being pronounced as a W. Dr. Wilkes says,
that it is more indented and crooked than other Roman Roads usually
are, and supposes that it was formed of _Wattles_, which was the idea
also of Pointer. Mr. Duff is not pleased with the opinion of Camden,
that it derives its name from an unknown _Vitellianus_, but
conjectures that its etymology is from the Saxon _Wadla_, a poor man,
a beggar, because such people resorted to this road for the charity of
travellers.
Among so many crude and discordant opinions, I shall endeavour to
substitute another more consistent with the true etymology of the
word. I agree with the historian of Manchester, that the Roman
stations were prior to the roads, and that the latter were only the
channels of communication to the former. The stations commenced during
the conquest of the country, and all of them were completed at the
conclusion of it. The roads therefore could not be constructed till
the first or second summer after the stations were established.
Whoever has attentively observed the line or direction of the Watling
Street, must be convinced of the truth of the foregoing observations;
and the deviation from a straight line, which in many parts is so
apparent, and so evidently made to enable the Romans to pass from one
station to another, may be considered conclusive upon this point. I
therefore have no hesitation in asserting, that the Watling Street Way
is a Roman road, and probably planned and formed by Vespasian, the
celebrated Roman general in Britain, who named this road in compliment
to the emperor, _Vitellius, Vitellii Strata Via_, Watling Street Way.
Suetonius, in his _Life of Vespasian_, says, (chapter 4,) "_Claudio
principe, Narcissi gratiâ, legatus in Germaniam missus est
(Vespasianus;) inde in Britanniam translatus, tricies cum hoste
conflixit. Duas validissimas gentes, superq viginti oppida, et insulam
Vectam Britanniae proximam, in deditionem redegit, partim Auli Plautii
legati, partim Claudii ipsius ductu. Quare triumphalia ornamenta, et
in spatio brevi, duplex sacerdotium accepit, praeterea consulatum,
quem gessit per duos novissimos anni menses." Or, "In the reign of
Claudius, by the interest of Narcissus,[2] he (Vespasian) was sent
lieutenant general of a legion into Germany, from whence being removed
into Britain, he engaged the enemy in thirty distinct battles, and
subjected to the power of the Romans two very strong nations, and
above twenty great towns, and the Isle of Wight, upon the coast of
Britain, partly under the command of Aulus Plautius, and partly under
that of Claudius himself. In reward for these noble services he
received the triumphal ornaments, and in a short time after, two
priest's offices, besides the consulship, which he held for the two
last months of the year."
The same author, in his Life of Vitellius, seems to strengthen or
rather establish the conjecture of its being the _Vitellii Strata
Via_, for he says, (chapter 1,) "_indicia, stirpis (Vitelliorum) diu
mansisse, Viam Vitelliam ab Janiculo ad mare usque, item coloniam
ejusdem nominis._" Or, "Some monuments of the family continued a long
time, as the _Vitellian Way_, reaching from the Janiculum to the sea,
and likewise a colony of that name." From the abovementioned extracts,
it seems not improbable that one of the thirty battles mentioned by
Suetonius, might have been fought during the time the Romans were
forming this road through the Forest of Arden, which extended from
Henley, in Warwickshire, to Market Harborough, in Leicestershire; and
that it was called in compliment to Vitellius, the _Vitellian Way_,
afterwards corrupted to the _Watling Way_.
This road from the Avon, which it passes at Dove Bridge, to the Anker,
near Atherstone, forms the boundary between the counties of Leicester
and Warwick. In the month of June, 1824, numerous skulls and bones
were discovered in a line from the intersection of the road that leads
from Rugby to Lutterworth, with the Watling Street to Benones or
Bensford Bridge, the distance not being more than half a mile. These
bones were lying about two feet below the surface of the ground. Many
fragments of shields, spear heads, knives, and a sword,[3] placed by
the side of a skeleton, and at one end touching a funereal urn,[4] and
likewise several drinking cups, or small vessels, apparently formed of
half-baked clay, with clasps both of silver and brass, were found
within the abovementioned distance. On the contrary side of the road
were discovered beads, glass, and amber, but neither urns,
spear-heads, or fragments of shields; these relics, therefore,
probably belonged to the Britons, who fell encountering the Romans, to
prevent their forming a road through the Forest of Arden. There can be
little doubt of a battle having been here fought, from the bones,
urns, and tumuli discovered here and in the adjacent neighbourhood.
"In this parish (Church Over,") says Dugdale, "upon the old Roman Way,
called Watling Strete, is to be seen a very great tumulus, which is of
that magnitude, that it puts travellers beside the usual road," and a
_Letter_ from Elias Ashmole to Sir Wm. Dugdale,[5] states, "that about
a mile from hence (that is from Holywell Abbey, now the site of Caves
Inn,) there is a tumulus raised in the very middle of the high way,
which methought was worth observing." This tumulus, in an ancient
deed, is called the Pilgrim's Low. It was removed in making the
turnpike-road from Banbury to Lutterworth, about the year 1770. In the
plantations of Abraham Grimes, Esq., within half a mile of the site of
the former, is another tumulus of smaller dimensions, adjoining the
road which leads from Rugby to Lutterworth.
These were probably raised in honour of some military chiefs who were
slain in the battle.
Si quid novisti rectius istis
Candidus imperti: si non, his utere mecum.
[1] Probably a corruption of Benones Bridge, as it is within four
miles of the Roman station, Benones, now High Cross.
[2] Vitellius had great weight and influence in the reign of
Claudius; Vespasian at that time paid his court to the
favourite, and also to Narcissus, the emperor's freedman.
[3] Now in the possession of the Rev. P. Homer, of Rugby.
[4] In the possession of Mr. Matthew Bloxam, of the same place.
[5] Edited by that distinguished and learned antiquary, Wm. Hamper,
of Birmingham, Esq., in his _Life of Dugdale_.