pits, is very ingenious: a cart-way is made by a frame of timber, on
which the wheels of the carts run without horses, with great celerity;
so that they are forced to moderate their descent by a piece of wood
like a lever applied to one of the wheels. The manner of rowing their
great barges here is also very particular, and not unworthy of remark:
four men manage the whole; three to a great and long oar, that push
it forward; and one to another such a-stern, that assists the other
motion, but at the same time steers the keel, and corrects the biass
the other gives it. They observe that horses kept under ground in the
coal-mines for two or three years, as sometimes they do, have their
hair very fine and sleek, and as short almost as that of a mouse. We
saw Col. Lyddal’s coal-works at Tanfield, where he carries the road
over valleys filled up with earth, 100 foot high, 300 foot broad at
bottom: other valleys as large have a stone bridge laid across: in
other places hills are cut through for half a mile together; and in
this manner a road is made, and frames of timber laid, for five miles,
to the river side, where coals were delivered at 5_s._ the chaldron.
We were conducted down the river, by the officers of the customs,
to North Sheels, at the mouth of the river, the _Tunnocelum_ of the
Romans. This is a very pleasant open river, and broad: sometimes 300 or
400 sail of ships lie here. Tinmouth castle, no doubt, was the Roman
castle, standing high on the northern promontory. Clifford’s fort is a
small insignificant fort upon the edge of the water. The shore of the
river for the most part is rocky, and in some places pleasantly covered
with wood. We saw Tarrow to the southward, famous for the birth-place
of the most learned monk, venerable Bede.
Some of the coal-works here dip full East: it is plain south-east is
the natural dip in general; those at Whitehaven, inclining south-west,
I suppose receive a counter-bias, as being on the west side of the
island. Sometimes they set green poles of alder and the like within
the works, to support a weak part of the rock over-head; and then
it is observed the juices in the tree will work upwards, and spread
themselves upon the rock in a branch-like efflorescence.
Ravensworth castle was moated about, and castellated; but I could hear
of no Roman antiquities found there. It stands under a very pleasant
wood, and in a fine vale extending itself into Yorkshire, as they say,
and farther; perhaps through the whole kingdom. Above this house to the
west, upon the top of the fell, toward Tanfield is a most extensive
prospect, over a great part of the Roman wall; so to the Cheviot
hills toward Scotland, to Tinmouth castle, the sea, Lumley castle,
and quite round; that it is very probable somewhere hereabouts was a
Roman castle, and this might be the _Ravonia_ Mr. Baxter places at
Ravensworth.
The fund of coal in this country is inexhaustible; for the whole
country is a mine of coal quite across the kingdom, in the moors, and
so to Scotland: and this will be an eternal source of seamen in the
kingdom. Going up the hill toward Benwell, I find the counter-guard
goes just 300 foot off the wall, which was sufficient for the march
of the detachments from place to place. The eastward part of the wall
joined the castle where the stairs now are. A good part of the friery
is standing, being a court: the chapel is converted into a hall for the
smiths. Nothing of the nunnery left, but the jambs of the gate-house
next the street.
GABROCENTVM
Was Gateshead, as its name imports in British, I suppose, from the
sign of some inn: a Goat still stands upon a sign of the Golden
Lion, crowned. I guess this was a fortified town in the times of the
Romans, where a ferry was for passage northward; but by reason of the
buildings no traces of it are left: it stands on a deep rocky descent
Westward. The Roman road here, which is the true Hermen-street coming
from Sussex, coming down Gateshead fell, passes in a strait line to
the bridge. I saw several Roman stones here, the recipient part of
their hand-mills. In this place, in the time of the _Notitia_, lay the
second cohort of the Thracians in garrison. There is an odd _mausoleum_
in the church-yard.
Lord Hertford’s workmen, digging up the Roman city by Marlborough,
found a piece of brass with an inscription in Romano-barbarous
letters, a quarter of an inch high, thus: ʌ.MʌIS.ʌBALLʌVʌ.
VXELODVM.CʌMBOGLʌNS.BʌNNʌ; which I interpreted, being the names of
five Roman stations: it was upon the edge of a cup. The castle at
Newcastle was built by Robert son of William I. after his return from
the expedition against Malcolm king of Scots.
CONDERCVM. +Chester on the Street.+
Lumley castle has a fine appearance hence. The Hermen-street is very
plain, being in a strait line hither when we descend from Gateshead
fell. I think Bede mentions this station, as called _Concester_, which
retains part of the Roman name. Great coal-works too hereabouts. The
first wing of the _Astures_ made this their garrison, as the _Notitia_
tells us, being _ad lineam valli_; for, though it be not upon the
Wall, it is reasonable to think his expression is not to be strictly
taken: it was convenient that some of the forces that guarded the wall
should be quartered at some suitable distance, that they might have
room of country for their maintenance. Here was a collegiate church
founded by Anthony Bec, bishop of Durham; and here lived the Lindisfarn
bishops, with the celebrated body of St. Cuthbert, before they settled
at Durham. At Lumley castle is a curious old picture of Chaucer, said
to be an original. Egelric monk of Peterborough, after bishop, built
a church here in the time of William I. in digging the foundation he
found an infinite deal of money, (Roman, I suppose,) with which he
repaired the church at Burgh, and made a causeway through the fens
between Spalding and Deeping.
DURHAM,
Extremely well seated in a bend of the Vedra. The neck of the
peninsula is guarded by a strong castle, with a great tower upon a
keep, or mount: it is now the bishop’s palace: all beyond that is the
abbey-ground. The city lies before the castle, and on both sides the
river: this being very high ground, the back side of every street
has gardens, with a fine prospect over the river. It would be very
strange if the Romans missed so fine and strong a situation, so near
the great road; yet I do not hear of any antiquities found here: but
eastward over the river, upon another peninsula of high ground, I saw
a camp, called Maidencastle, which I judge to be theirs: it is almost
incompassed too by a rivulet falling into the river from the east:
it is of an oblong form, 500 foot long, very steep on three sides;
the neck is guarded by a rampart, and without that, at some little
distance, with a ditch. The prospect is large, more especially eastward.
[Illustration: 69·2ᵈ.
Roman Monuments _now in_ Durham Library.
_Stukeley delin._ _Sturt. sc_]
[Sidenote: TAB. LXXIV.]
The church antiquities of this place are capable of a large history,
if pursued thoroughly by a judicious hand: it would give one a good
idea of the ancient manner and magnificence of our great abbeys: there
are no where such remains of that kind left among us. The revenues
hereof are very great; which enables them to keep every thing in good
repair, and to live very splendidly: indeed the whole city is supported
only by the church. The cathedral is a very large and majestic
pile, of the Saxon manner of building intirely, and all of a piece,
except the east end transept and middle tower, and some later windows
of mullion-work put into the old frames. I call that the Saxon manner
which was in use among us at the time of the Conquest; being somewhat
Roman degenerate, with semicircular windows, and arches, and great
round pillars; the walls very thick, without buttresses: these, I
suppose, together with pointed arches, slender pillars, and the like,
which we call the Gothic, came from France. Very few monuments are left
here: one of a bishop, under the bishop’s throne: in the choir the
largest one, of a bishop, I ever saw; it is upon the ground, composed
of two huge flat stones: the brass of it, which was proportional, is
pulled off. Here are many of the ancient original copes, very richly
embroidered, in which they officiate at the sacrament service; a custom
here only preserved. The screen at the high altar is of stone, with
pinacle work, somewhat like that at St. Alban’s; with many niches for
images: behind is the stone under which lies the body of St. Cuthbert,
and upon which stood his shrine. The eastern wall of the church is one
intire transept, as long as the cross transept (I think,) and called
the Nine Altars, from so many there placed. Much painted glass of
saints, &c. Two images, among others left, are those of St. Cuthbert,
and venerable Bede. The dome under the middle tower is very high, with
a handsome balustrade of ancient manner within side. At the west end,
built upon a high wall from the edge of the river, is a place called
the Galilee, consisting of five ailes supported with handsome pillars:
the use of it, and the meaning of the name, I know not; but the
middlemost seems to have been an oratory, to pray for the soul of the
founder of it, whose tomb stands at the east end: his arms are, _Palé_
of ten, a mullet for difference. Near it, under a plain black tomb,
lies the great Bede, the light of learning in darkest times; the first
and the last among the monks. The cloisters are large and handsome;
so is the chapter-house. The dean’s lodging is that of the prior’s;
for the most part preserved in its primitive state; the hall, the
parlour, large and stately; the prior’s lodging-room well cieled, and
roofed with Irish oak, which Mr. Gale conjectures as old as Richard the
Second’s time, by the chained white-harts carved therein: the prior’s
kitchen is intire; a curious piece of geometry in stone, and vies with
that of the abbot of Glastonbury; octagonal, with square outlets at the
corners. The prebend’s houses are all very good. A large and handsome
library, founded by dean Subden; his picture at full length at the end
of it. Here is an excellent and large collection of old manuscripts;
a very fine Latin Bible in three volumes; a psaltery wrote by Bede; a
collection of Roman and others coins. Sir George Wheeler, a prebend
here, gave his intire collection of Greek and other coins, which he
collected in his travels; together with some natural curiosities,
particularly the impressions of fishes, and other antediluvian matters,
upon slate. Here are a great many Roman altars, inscriptions, _basso
relievo_’s, &c. belonging to our own country; which they got from about
the Picts Wall, Lanchester, &c. We were particularly favoured with
a sight of the treasury as called, being a very numerous repository
of the charters, bulls, _inspeximus_’s, and muniments, belonging to
the church, from the kings of England, Scotland, popes, bishops, &c.
digested into lockers: among others, an original _Magna Charta_. We saw
likewise the old dormitory of the monks.
In the minster-yard are some monumental stones of knights, and a lady
on the ground, with others of flower-work: among them I saw a Roman
altar set for a grave-stone, but no inscription left. Likewise Dr.
Hunter showed me a Roman head in a garden-wall: if I be not mistaken,
it is of Marcus Aurelius. The doctor has a great collection of
antiquities. On a coral-coloured _patera_ the potter’s mark, AMANDVS:
many of these vessels curiously wrought with lions, flowers, &c. found
at Binchester, _Vinovium_: the clay is there met withall, and there was
a great pottery. He showed us a pretty onyx, found at Piercebridge: I
think it is Psyche. He says there was an aqueduct at Lanchester: many
inscriptions broke there, just before he went. He has a recipient celt,
found with some others, and an odd piece of cast brass, at Weremouth
near Sunderland, by the sea-side: the edge of the celt is turned up at
both ends, and confirms my notion of the use of them, being designed
for no great force: it is three inches and a half long, pretty much
worn, but sharp yet.
There was a Roman city at Pierce bridge: remains of the castle-ditch.
Cunscliff, a mile off, was the place they had their stone from; and
there the inscription was found; whence some would fix _Condate_ at
this place, though it is plainly _Dis Manibus Condati_, &c. and refers
to a man, not a city. There is an old chapel on the bridge. They call
the Roman road here the Watling-street. A brass _Jupiter fulminans_,
and a _genius alatus_, found at Lanchester, at Dr. Hunter’s. A golden
inscription to Hercules, in the library at Durham.
From Pierce bridge we entered immediately upon the Roman road, which
comes to the river a little lower down than the present bridge: it is a
broad, very strait, and hard road at this day; the great ridge of stone
originally laid, being not worn out through so many ages, though broken
and in great need of reparation. Several mile-stones by the way. Upon
a moor we saw a branch run from it north-west, which goes to Bowes,
_Lavatræ_, and other stations towards Carlisle.
CATARACTONIVM. +Catteric.+
Brough, on the south banks of the Swale, was a castle: much Roman
coins and antiquities found thereabouts. The town Catteric, which so
evidently retains the name, is a mile off.
——_sic toties versa est fortuna locorum._ +Ovid.+ Met.
Thornborough, the old city, stands a little above the bridge and
road: it is a farm-house only, on a high ground, and on the edge of
the river, being steep. Foundations of the old walls left, and much
antiquity dug up.
The Hermen-street continues southward by the British name of
_Leming-lane_, all composed of stone, and paved with large coggles,
which the neighbouring inhabitants take away to build withal, and pave
their yards, &c. This is a ridge of ground that was originally down:
on both sides lie the most delightful plains of Yorkshire, bounded by
distant hills both ways: it is a rich country, admirably watered, and
well planted with wood, thronged with towns, and Roman antiquities; for
that people knew how to set a just value on it. Mr. Gale showed me,
at his pleasant seat of Scruton, his admirable library, where are no
fewer than 430 choice manuscripts, collected by his father, many finely
illuminated; many ancient classics of great value; a _Priscian_, wrote
by a disciple of his.
ISVRIVM. +Boroughbridge.+
We travelled along the Roman road, strait and perfect, till we turned
out to Rippon. The market-place is a square, spacious enough: in the
middle of it an obelisk is erected: had it been of large stones, of a
good kind, and of a good proportion, it would have been a real ornament
to the place. The cathedral here is a large strong building, handsome
enough: there is an entrance from the west part of the great tower
within, to go under ground, exactly like that we saw at Hexham, and
made for the same intent: here is a chapel to St. Wilfrid, where I
suppose his bones lie; and a place called his Needle, a passage the
vulgar amuse themselves with. Hence we went by Newby, a new seat of Sir
Edward Blackett’s, in a rich country. So we fell into the Roman road
again at Boroughbridge. We visited Aldborough, a mile off, the _Isurium
Brigantum_. Here was a great city walled about: the church and present
town, which is a borough by prescription, is inclosed within it. We
saw the foundation of the Wall, where they have long been digging it
up, as the common quarry for stone, when they want it: it was curious
to observe their method of laying the foundation of it in clay: above
that the stones are laid in mortar. This same manner I found used
at the Picts wall, where I saw the foundation of it, by Chester. We
saw and heard of many antiquities at this place: coins of Antoninus,
Constantine, Tetricus, and many more; some of which I purchased:
intaglia’s are very frequent here; for such, together with coins, are
commonly taken up after rain; and the people customarily look for them
as they walk through the town. There has been some very great building
in the street before the church; for many stones were taken up there,
many remain. We saw some at the church-yard gate, and at people’s
doors; among which, two pieces of pillars; the _hypotrachelion_ on one;
and several foundations of a gate, in which were the iron hinges. I
saw the stones; they were of a large size. Many square stones, with a
square hole in the middle, lie at the ale-house door over-against the
church, all manifestly of a Roman cut; and the whole town abounds with
them. The man at the ale-house says the earth all about is exceeding
rich, quite black, is never manured; that coins rusted together are
found perpetually, and pavements, &c. In his sisters house, west of
the church, we were highly delighted with a great part of a Mosaic
pavement, perfectly preserved, and covered with a roof: the remainder
is now under the causeway of the street: it was laid with stones, red,
blue, and white, of excellent colour: some part is also under the
adjacent barn-floor. The late Rev. Mr. Morris, minister here, collected
much: Mr. Wilkinson, the duke of Newcastle’s steward, collects now.
Slates are sometimes ploughed up, (none such near;) many silver coins,
some of which were bought by Sir James Dalrymple. In the church wall
are many Gothic remains of basso relievo’s, figures of animals, much
like lord Winchelsea’s Sark antiquities. A figure of Pan in the
vestry-wall of Aldborough: an intagliate cornelian was found there; an
eagle, a _signum militare_, a _cornucopia_ cut on it.
Rippon monastery was founded by Wilfrid, the Saxon bishop, about anno
Dom. 670, the same who founded St. Leonard’s priory by Stamford; and
likewise that at Hexam, which afterwards became a bishoprick. Wilfrid
died at Oundle, and was buried at Rippon.
[Sidenote: TAB. XC.]
The stones, as much famed by the name of the Devil’s Arrows, as
misrepresented by writers, stand in some fields, half a mile west
of the Roman road south of Boroughbridge. Some think them Roman,
though they regard not any Roman work hereabouts: some say they are
factitious, though plain stone as possible. They are stones of very
large dimensions, and have been hewn pretty square, much as those at
Stonehenge; but silly people have knocked off the edges: their height
is very great: they were very taper and well-shaped, and much of an
obelisk form; but the tops are decayed, and long furrows worn down
on all sides along the tenderest part of the grain of the stone. I
remarked, that they all lean somewhat southward. The stone is entirely
composed of small white crystals, unperishable by weather: they are
certainly natural, and brought about ten miles off, from the west,
where more such lie above ground in great plenty. Three now stand; one
was taken away, as all report, to make a bridge over the bec a little
eastward. The cross near the church is of the same stone. These stones
stood 200 foot asunder, pretty near in a line north and south: the
first stone westward is not so high as the other, but broader much,
and stands square, or perpendicular to the line of direction; it is 8½
foot broad, 4½ thick, 23 foot about: the second in the next pasture is
square each side, but not precisely; it is 5 foot broad, 4 foot thick,
18 foot square: the next is twice as far distant, and beyond the road,
of a figure much like the former, but rather higher, as that is higher
than the first; this is 5 foot by 4: the two last are very beautiful
obelisks, and their height about 25 foot, as I guess. The ground this
fine monument stands on is high, and declines every way a little from
it: the great river, the brook, and some low ground to the south, hem
it in as it were. Mr. Gale, and the beforementioned clergyman, some
time since dug under one to the foundation, and found that it was about
five foot under ground, and fastened into its seat by stones laid in
clay, quite around it, as a wall: they put four half-pence, in a leaden
box underneath, of queen _Anne_, _Vigo_, &c. and filled it up again.
I could not commend them for it, as it could only tend to mislead the
curious of future times.
IMP. CÆS. DOMITIANO. AVG. COS. VII.
Two of these found on lead; BRIG. on the side. AVG. 833, the year of
Jul. Agricola coming hither.
EBORACVM. +York.+
[Sidenote: TAB. XCVIII.]
We went upon a Roman way till we came to the river Nidd, half-way
to York, where moor begins. At Ackham we saw the hill called Severs
hill, with much reason thought to be that on which was performed
the consecration of Severus the emperor; and, no doubt, with great
magnificence: it is a large round hill, and the highest ground near
York, about two miles distance from it: there seemed to be a long
barrow west of it. York is a very large city, but old, and narrow
streets. I saw the multangular tower in the city-wall, just by St.
Mary’s abbey, which was built by the Romans, as to the bottom part: the
upper has been added; it was originally of twelve sides: the stones
are of squared faces, four Roman inches high; the inside, rubble, and
excessive hard mortar: it seems within side as if a seat had been
carried round it: three of the sides are gone: it is on the west side
of the city. I went to see the two statues on St. Laurence church-wall,
thought to be Roman; but they are not so: they are monumental
tomb-stones of founders of churches laid just above ground somewhere,
and removed hither: they are very ancient; I believe, about king John’s
time. The cathedral here is a noble building; but, except that the
side-walks are somewhat broader, and are carried on the west side of
the transepts, it is exceeded in every thing by Lincoln minster; as,
for instance, in the manner of approach on the west, in the front for
breadth and height, in the stone roof, the towers, the cloisters, and
in general the magnificence of the whole: the chapter-house here is
only vaulted with wainscot; that at Lincoln with stone. The river Ouse
divides the city in two. The walls on the west side are in good repair,
and may be walked round. All the walls here are low, but built upon
a huge _agger_ of earth; I suppose, the Roman manner. There are two
figures of Ulphus’s horn in the cathedral. In the west end of the
steeple of St. Martin’s church, Micklegate, is the remnant of a fine
funeral monument, Roman; a man and his wife, with their son, a child,
in their habits: near it a piece of flower-work, perhaps belonging
to the frize of some magnificent building. There are twenty four
parish-churches here. The bridge over the Ouse, commonly magnified
to strangers, is a very ordinary thing, and exceeded by most of the
bridges in the county.
[Illustration: 91·2ᵈ.
_The great Temple & Grove of the Druids at Trerdrew in +Anglesey+_
_W. Stukeley delin._ _I. Harris fecit_]
[Illustration: 92·2ᵈ.
_Stukeley del._
A Celtic Temple at Winterburn 22. Aug. 1723.
_6 pa. diam 10. stones of a very hard sort full of flints, the
tallest to W. 8 f. h. the N. 7 broad 6 high._]
[Illustration: 93·2ᵈ. +Kromlechen+
_Near Bondruse_
_Stukeley delin._ _I. Harris fecit_]
[Illustration: 94·2ᵈ.
+Celtic+ Sepultures
_Eglwys Glominog on the top of Arennig Vaur in Llanykil Parish
Merionydshire._
_Karnedhan Hengum above a quarter of a Mile South East of Dynas
Gortyn, both in the Parish of Lhan Aber Meir._
_Coeten Arthur._]
[Illustration: 95·2ᵈ. CELTIC Sepulture
_On the Roadside between Rwnahyrin & Clochau Cantyre_
_Karn Maur_
_Stukeley delin._ _I. Harris fecit._]
[Illustration: 96·2ᵈ.
+Brass Celts+]
[Illustration: 97·2ᵈ.
_The Court of Malling Abby 17. Oct. 1724._
_Stukeley delin._ _Toms Sculp._]
[Illustration: 98·2ᵈ.
A +Chori Eccl: Cath: Ebor: Arcus Australis.+
B +Cornu Ulphi+
_G. Vᵈʳ. Gucht Sculp._]
[Illustration: 99·2ᵈ.
_The Prospect of Kirkleys Abby, where Robin Hood dyed from the
Footway leading to Heartishead Church, at a quarter of a mile
distance._ A. _The New Hall._ B. _The Gatehouse of the Nunnery._
C. _The Trees among which Robin Hood was buryed._ D. _The way up
the Hill where this was drawn._ E. _Bradley Wood._ F. _Almondbury
hill._ G. _Castle Field._
_Drawn by Dʳ. Johnston among his Yorkshire Antiquitys. P. 54. of
the Drawings._ _E. Kirkall Sculp._]
[Illustration: 100·2ᵈ.
RELIGIOVS
Remnant _of_ Ramsey Abby _Gatehouse 1713_.
_Tower on yᵉ Moor near_ Tatershal _Lincʳ._
_Capella ruinosa S. S. Spiritus apud_ Basingstoke.
Henrico Torkington de Stukeley mag. Ar. Tabula Votiva.]
Of Severus thus writes Herodian III. Antoninus, and Geta his brother,
governed the empire jointly: they sailed from Britain, and went to Rome
with their father’s reliques; for his body being burnt, they carried
thither his ashes, put into an alabaster urn with gums and sweets, that
they might be reposed in the sacred monuments of the princes.