In constructing the last section of the Metropolitan (or ‘Underground’)
Railway—that expensive three-quarters of a mile, which it is said
will cost three millions—many curious discoveries have been made,
and many interesting relics brought to light. The section commences
at the present Mansion House Station, in Cannon Street, and proceeds
nearly east, at a considerable depth, terminating at the present Tower
Hill Station, and thus completing what is commonly called the ‘Inner
Circle.’ In its course, the railway tunnel traverses one of the most
ancient sites of the original British-Roman London; and the discoveries
alluded to chiefly refer to that period. The most important of these
has been a very perfectly built landing-stage or pier, not on the banks
of the Thames, but on the left bank of Wall Brook, near its confluence
with the Thames, the site being beneath the present Dowgate Hill,
which leads direct to the river. The stage appears to have been erected
with much care and skill, and is a very superior work. First, the spot
is filled in with oak timber-piling, carefully bound together; on this
is laid a concrete bed, which, in its turn, supports a Roman tesselated
pavement.
The Wall Brook at that period was doubtless a stream of some
importance, having perhaps a mouth sufficiently broad to make a sort
of useful harbour, just off the Thames; hence the necessity of a
landing-pier or stage being constructed here for commercial purposes.
Nor is this the only one of the kind which the railway-works have
brought to light, for a second has been found beneath Trinity Square
Gardens, which are situated on the spot known as ‘Tower Hill,’ so
celebrated in history as the place of public execution. This second
landing-stage also appears to have stood on a bank leading to the
river, forming, like the other, a small harbour for the unloading
of craft or landing of passengers. This stage is built in the same
way—timber-piles supporting a concrete bed, and on this again the
usual Roman tile pavement. But it was observed that the oak-piling was
surrounded by a number of oak-tree roots, leading to the supposition
that the ground had to be cleared of its original forest before the
building operations of the landing-stage were begun. This is confirmed
by the fact that the spot where these discoveries were made must have
been outside the eastern boundary of the original city of London;
because a fortress—or work of some kind—was erected by the Romans for
the protection of the city on that side, on the site of Gundulph’s
still existing ‘Tower,’ and of course _outside_ the town, and
surrounded probably at that period by the ‘forest primeval.’
The underground track of this part of the railway has proved a
storehouse for relics of both Roman and medieval times. A great deal
of pottery has been found, as well as articles of glassware, and even
cannon-balls. Two leaden coffins were brought to light of decided Roman
pattern; also Roman coins. Amongst the many Roman tiles which were
unearthed, one of them bears the distinct mark of a dog’s foot, which
can only be explained by the animal having walked over the tile whilst
it was still soft after its manufacture. Two entire skeletons were
also discovered, each head downwards—one in Trinity Square, and one at
the bottom of a well twenty-five feet below the ground, in Aldgate.
The remains of the windlass which had once been at the top were also
discovered, together with some pieces of broken pottery. A second well
was also found near the first; but their age has not been determined.
Below the station at Tower Hill, some timber-piles were uncovered,
which have been stated to be the remains of the scaffold on which Lords
Kilmarnock, Balmerino, and Lovat suffered in the last century. But this
seems unlikely, as no doubt the scaffold was removed after the last
execution. But even if it was not, one hundred and forty years would
hardly be sufficient to bury, many feet below the surface, so large
an article as a timber scaffold. A rare and curious print, giving a
view of Tower Hill on the occasion of the death of Lord Lovat, shows
the scaffold about the middle of the Hill, and consequently to the
south-west of the present station.
Since the above was written, we learn that ‘more unexpected but
important evidence’ has been brought to light of the buildings of
ancient London, by the destruction of the remains of old London Wall.
It had already been noticed that the foundations of the Roman wall by
the river were made up very much of materials which had been already
used in public buildings, and near to Tower Hill it has been discovered
that some fine sepulchral monuments have been made to serve the same
purpose. During the further destruction of the wall, it has been
found to have been partly constructed with stones belonging to older
buildings to a very great extent, some of the bastions being composed
of them. In the wall in Castle Street, Bevis Marks, sculptured stones
on which are inscriptions are being discovered, and carefully collected
by some zealous antiquaries, for deposit in the Guildhall Museum.