whence we may conjecture that it was originally paved with stone:
a mile beyond Little Stukeley it turns somewhat to the right, and
then proceeds full north and south: near Stilton some parts appear
still paved with stone: it passes through great woods between the two
Saltrys, where was a religious foundation of Simon Silvanect II. earl
of Huntingdon and Northampton; among whose ruins lie buried Robert
Brus, lord of Anandale in Scotland, and of Cleveland in England, with
Isabel his wife, from whom the Scottish branch of our royal family is
descended. Near the road-side Roman urns have been dug up. I thought
it piety to turn half a mile out of the road, to visit Conington, the
seat of the noble Sir Robert Cotton, where he and the great Camden have
often sat in council upon the antiquities of Britain, and where he had
a choice collection of Roman inscriptions, picked up from all parts of
the kingdom. I was concerned to see a stately old house of hewn stone
large and handsome lie in dismal ruin, the deserted _lares_ and the
_genius_ of the place fled: by it a most beautiful church and tower;
in the windows is fine painted glass, but of what sort I know not: a
poor cottage or two seem to be the whole town, once the possession of
the kings of Scotland.[62] From those woods aforementioned, standing on
high ground, you see all over the level of the fens, particularly that
huge reservoir of water called Whitlesey-mere, full of fish, and a very
pleasant place in summer time, where the gentry have little vessels to
sail in for diversion: upon this hill Sir Robert Cotton, digging the
foundation of a house, found the skeleton of a fish twelve foot long. A
little to the right lies Ramsey, famous for a rich abbey, where every
monk lived like a gentleman: there is little of it left now, but a part
of the old gate-house. In the yard I saw the neglected statue of the
famous Alwyn the founder, called alderman of all England, cousin to
king Edgar: I take this to be one of the most ancient pieces of English
sculpture which we knew of: the _insignia_ he has in his hand, the keys
and ragged staff, relate to his office. Anno 1721 many pecks of Roman
coins were found there. Probably from the name we may conjecture it
was a Roman town. Near it is Audrey causeway: at the south end of it,
in the parish of Willingham, a camp of a circular form, large, called
Belsar’s hills, thought that of William the Conqueror, or his general
Belasis, when busied in the reduction of the isle of Ely, or Odo
Balistarius. A Roman pavement found at Ramsey.
Stilton, or Stickleton, analogous to _Stivecle_, is famous for cheese,
which they sell at 12d. per pound, and would be thought equal to
Parmesan, were it not too near us. Beyond here the road is perfect,
with a ridge upon the open fields, for a long way together: it goes
pretty near north and south about Stangate; but now it takes a turn
to the left a little, to avoid the vast fens full before our view. I
cannot but take notice of the great stones, set at every mile from
Grantham hither by Mr. Boulter, which he designed to have carried on
to London. Any thing that assists or amuses travellers is most highly
commendable: hence the good understanding of the ancients prompted them
to set their funeral monuments by the road side, not crouded round
their temples: they knew the absurdity of filling the mind with ideas
of melancholy, at such times as they approached the sacred altars:
there nought but what is beautiful and great ought to appear, as
most besuiting the place where we seek the Deity. With them Mercury
was the god of ways, and the _custos manium_. I have often wondered
that the cheap and easy method of setting up posts with directions at
every cross road is so little practised; which methinks deserves to be
enforced by a law: it would teach the carpenters that make them, and
the country people, to read, with much more emolument to the public
than some other methods now in vogue: of other uses I need say nothing.
All the country between Huntingdon river and Peterborough river is
clay, sand, and gravel; but beyond that to the Humber is stone. At
Gunwath ferry over Peterborough river is a new bridge, where boats too
pay a toll; such is the modern way of encouraging trade and navigation.
The people of Peterborough are averse to having their river made
navigable, out of an absurd notion that it will spoil their trade.
[Sidenote: +Durobrivis.+]
[Sidenote: TAB. XIII. 2d Vol.]
The imperial Itinerary makes 35 miles between the last station,
_Durocinonte_, and _Durobrivis_;[63] but a decimal too much is put
into the number, for 25 is full enough: it is indeed 25 measured miles
from Huntingdon river to the Nen at Caster: there is no dispute but
Chesterton by Caster is the place. Dornford retains somewhat of the
old name, where the road traversed the river by a bridge (of brass,
the common people say.) At Chesterton on this side is a large tract
of ground, called the Castle field, with a ditch and rampart around
it:[64] the Roman road runs directly through it, and still retains
its high ridge. I observe every where near the fenny country great
precaution and strength employed; which seems owing to the incursions
of the Britons from that part, who, no doubt, retired into these
fastnesses as their last refuge, when the Roman arms shined all around
them: and that reason must induce the Romans very early to think of
draining the country, and rendering it provincial, which was the only
means of preventing that inconvenience. The Hermen-street beyond the
river runs for some space along the side of it upon the meadow, then
turns up with an angle, and proceeds full north. Caster[65] is above
half a mile from it, upon the hill. I espied a bit of the foundation of
the wall of the Roman _castrum_ in the street to the north-west corner
of the church, under the wall of the house where the minister lives:
it is easily known by the vast strength of the mortar, built of the
white slab-stone of the country: this _castrum_ then went round the
church-yard, and took in the whole top of the hill, facing the mid day
sun. Underneath it lay the city; for below the church-yard the ground
is full of foundations and Mosaics: I saw a bit of a pavement in the
cellar of the ale-house (the Boot.)
————_varias ubi picta per artes
Gaudet humus, suberantque novis asarota figuris._ +Stat. Silv.+
[Illustration: 13·2ᵈ. _over the Quire door in Castor chh._
_Prospect of Castor_, Durobrivis. 11. July. 1724._
_Stukeley delin._ _E. Kirkall sculp._]
They know of many such: particularly at Mr. Wright’s, and in the
landlord’s garden, is an intire one untouched. Roman coins are found in
great abundance: I have before me a long and particular catalogue of
many I have seen of all times, from the consular to the later emperors,
in brass and silver, but think it a nauseous formality to print them: a
few I will repeat of the silver.
_M. poblic_ ℞ — _nus imp._
_Ant._ III. _vir_ _leg._ VI.
_Sabin_ _l. titur._ the rape of the Sabins.
_Augustus divi fil._ _imp_ x _act_.
_Cæsar Augustus pater patriæ._ _Augusti f. cos. design. princ. juvent._
[exergue] _Cl. Cæsaris_
_Augustus Cæsar_ a comet. _idus jun._
_Cæsar_ _l. juli l. f._ a chariot drawn by cupids.
_Hadrian Cos._ III. _Ægyptos_, a recumbent figure with the
_sistrum_.
_Theodosius_ _virtus romanorum tr. p. s._
_Silanus_ _l. f. roma._
These among more are in the possession of Monsieur Baillardeau.[66] In
the ploughed fields between the town and the river, toward Ford-green,
they are often found, with earthen pipes, bricks, and- all sorts of
antiquities: in that field is a tract running quite through, whereon
corn grows very poorly, which is nothing but a street or road laid
with a deep bed of gravel: the vulgar have a foolish story about it,
as at other places, and say that lady Kyneburg cursed it; by whom
they mean the abbess that built a religious house here, which stood
eastward of the church: some part of it is still left. This meadow is
called Norman-gate field, or more properly Dorman-gate, some corrupted
memorial of the ancient name of the town, which extended itself hither;
and foundations are found all about here, and innumerable coins, which
they call Dorman pence: part of this is Berrysted, where antiquities
are dug up every day. Higher up toward Peterborough is Mill-field:
Mosaic pavements are there dug up, and other things; and seems to have
been a little citadel belonging to the town. Part of the church is of
an ancient fabric, but new modelled: there is a curious inscription
upon a stone over the choir door thus: (the letters are raised.)
XVᵒ. KLˢ MAI. DEDICATIO HVIˢ ECLEˢ A. D. Mᵒ. CXIIII.
it is wrong transcribed in Camden. The steeple stands in the middle
of the church: the tower is a fine piece of ancient architecture with
semi-circular arches; I judge the spire of later date. The square well
by the porch no doubt is Roman; it is curbed with hewn stone: though
it stands on a hill, yet the water is very high: at the east end of
the church is a very old cross. Mr. Morton is very copious upon this
station, in his curious history of Northamptonshire; the inquisitive
reader will consult him: I only recite such things as I saw, and fear
being tedious upon such places as admit of no doubt among antiquaries.
A little higher up the river, near Wansford bridge,[67] a gold British
coin was found, in the possession of Mr. Maurice Johnson, J. C. Anno
1720, at Thorp, the seat of Sir Francis St. John, by Peterborough, a
Mosaic pavement was found: this was undoubtedly a villa of some great
Roman. In the garden here are some fine antique statues of marble,
but suffering more from the weather, in this moist situation, than
from age: in the middle is a Livia of coloss proportion, the wife
of Augustus: in the four quarters are Diana, Amphion, an orator, a
gladiator: upon the terrace, an admirable Hercules killing Hydra: in
the court are two equestrian figures in copper, Henry IV. of France,
and Don John of Austria: within the house over most of the doors are
placed busts, Bassianus, Caracalla, &c. these antiquities were of the
Arundel collection.
Hence I travelled upon the Roman road all the way to Stanford. As it
rises from the water-side of Peterborough river, and passes over the
corn-fields, it appears in a lofty ridge called Norman-gate, i. e.
Dorman-gate; only here and there they have dug great holes in it for
its materials: it goes forwards to Lolham bridges, by the name of
Long-ditch, which we treated of before, being its oldest and directest
road, full north and south. In the reign of Nero all the southern part
of the island was conquered, and the _Brigantes_ were fast friends;
so that in his time we may conclude the Hermen-street was made as far
as Sleford by Catus Decianus the procurator, as we suggested in the
first letter. But now our journey is by the left-hand new branch, and
which goes out of the other with an angle in the parish of Upton,
called the Forty-foot way: almost at Southorp, it is inclosed in a
pasture; but beyond that you find it again, going by Walcot inclosures,
then through Bernack fields, winding a little to the left hand till
it enters Burleigh park: its true line from Walcot corner would pass
through Tolethorp wood, but the river below Stanford was too broad; so
it passes through Burleigh park, where its gravel is transferred to
make walks in the gardens: at Wothorp park-wall it appears again with a
very high ridge and agreeable sight, descending the valley to Stanford
river, which it passes a little above the town between it and Tynwell;
then rises again upon the opposite hill, entering Lincolnshire, with
its broad and elated crest, till it goes to Brigcasterton: it is
composed all the way of stone, gravel, and hard materials, got near at
hand: the common road leaves it intirely from Peterborough river to
Brigcasterton, crossing it at Wothrop park-wall.[68]
[Sidenote: +Brigcasterton.+ Ro. _town_.]
[Sidenote: TAB. XIV. 2d vol.]
Brigcasterton happened most convenient for a station, being ten miles
from the last, or Durobrivis; but the Itinerary mentions not its name;
for the distances between them, and likewise to Lincoln, impugn Mr.
Camden and such as place Causennis here: however, it was fenced about
with a deep mote on two sides, the river supplying its use on the other
two; for it stands in an angle, and the Romans made a little curve
in the road here on purpose to take it in, as it offered itself so
conveniently, then rectified the obliquity on the other side of the
town: it consists of one street running through its length upon the
road: this great ditch and banks are called the Dikes. I saw many coins
that are found here; and one pasture is called Castle-close at the
corner: they say the foundation of a wall was dug up there.[69]
[Illustration: 14·2ᵈ. _Prospect of_ Brig casterton _from the Hermen
Street S. of the Town. 13. July 1724._
_Stukeley delin._ _E. Kirkall sculp._]
[Illustration: 20 _Colsterworth Church Lincolnshire_
Magno NEUTONO _Ecclesiam Parochiæ Ipsius Natalibus celebris Summæ
Observantiæ Monumentum quam pusillum humillime consecrat Conterraneus
suus Wˢ. Stukeley, 1722_
_Stukeley Fecit_]
[Sidenote: +Colsterworth.+]
[Sidenote: TAB. XX.]
Hence the road goes by Stretton, then leaves a little on the left hand
Colsterworth, highly memorable for being the birth-place of that vast
genius Sir Isaac Newton, the darling of Nature, who with a sagacity
truly wonderful has penetrated into the secret methods of all her great
operations; of whom Lincolnshire may justly boast: and we may say of
him, with Lucretius, I.
_Ergo vivida vis animi pervicit, & extra
Processit longe flammantia mœnia mundi,
Atque omne immensum peragravit mente animoque._[70]
On the north wall of the chancel is this monument. _Heic jacent
Gulielmi Walkeri particulæ obiit 1 aug. anno domini 1684. ætat. 61._
[Sidenote: +Causennis.+]
Thirty lesser miles from Durobrivis you come to Paunton,[71] which
must needs be _Causennis_: it is indeed twenty seven measured miles,
the Hermen-street accompanying. This village is at present under the
hill where the road goes near the spring of the Witham, to which I
suppose its name alludes, as the present to _pant avon_: both signify
the valley of the river in British: perhaps the most ancient name of
the river was _Cavata_; whence that part of the country that is watered
by it assumed the name of Kestevon,[72] importing the river Cavata,
_Cavaut avon_; as Lindsey from _Lindum_: the present name Witham, or
_Guithavon_, signifying the separating river, as it principally divides
these two. Many Roman coins are found here, and all the neighbourhood
round, and Mosaic pavements, Roman bricks, urns and the like, of a
curious composition. Mr. Burton speaks of a musive pavement.
[Sidenote: +Ancaster.+ Ro. _town_.]
[Sidenote: TAB. XV. 2d Vol.]
The Hermen-street, now called High-dike road, goes along the heath,
which preserves it from being worn away; and it is a sight highly
entertaining. The next town it comes to is Ancaster:[73] what was its
Roman name I know not; but it has been a very strong city, intrenched
and walled about; as may be seen very plainly for the most part, and
perceived by those that are the least versed in these searches. The
bowling-green behind the Red-lion inn is made in the ditch: when they
were levelling it, they came to the old foundation. At this end of the
town, where a dove-cote stands, is Castle close, full of foundations
appearing every where above ground: the ditch and rampire encompass
it. Here are prodigious quantities of Roman coins found; many people
in the town have traded in the sale of them these thirty years: they
are found too in great plenty upon all the hills round the town,
especially southward, and toward Castle-pits; so that one may well
persuade one’s self, that glorious people sowed them in the earth like
corn, as a certain harvest of their fame, and indubitable evidence of
their presence at this place. After a shower of rain the school-boys
and shepherds look for them on the declivities, and never return empty.
I saw an _Antoninus Pius_, of base silver, found that morning I was
there: likewise I saw many of Faustina, Verus, Commodus, Gallienus,
Salonina, Julia Mæsa, Constantius Chlorus, Helena, Maximiana Theodora,
Constantine the Great, Magnentius, Constans, Tetricus, Victorinus,
&c.[74] The town consists of one street running north and south along
the road: there is a spring at both ends of the town, and which, no
doubt, was the reason of their pitching it at this place; for no more
water is met with from hence to Lincoln. There is a road on the west
side of the town, which was for the convenience of those that travelled
when the gates were shut. On a stone laid upon the church wall I read
this inscription, in large letters of lead melted into the cavities.
PRIEZ: PUR
LE: ALME
SIRE: JOHN
COLMAN
CHIVALER
In the church-yard are two priests cut in stone. This has been a
populous place; for here are great quarries about it, and the rock lies
very little under the surface. Mr. Camden speaks of vaults found here;
and W. Harrison, in his description of Britain, II. 17. mentions Mosaic
pavements.[75] The road seems to bend somewhat in this part, which I
conjecture was with an intent to take in the springs.
[Illustration: 15·2ᵈ.
_Stukeley delin._ _E. Kirkall sculp._
_Prospect of_ Ancaster. _Iuly 20. 1724._]
[Sidenote: +Hunington.+ Ro. _camp_.]
A mile and half off to the west, in the parish of Hunnington, upon
a hill surveying a lovely prospect, both toward the sea-coast, and
into Nottinghamshire, is a summer camp of the Romans, or a _castrum
exploratorum_, of a square form and doubly trenched, but of no great
bulk: the entrance seems to have been on the east side. Not long ago,
in this place, have been dug up, in ploughing, bits of spears, bridles
and swords, and two urns full of coins: I saw a large brass one of
Agrippa, and Julia daughter to Augustus, with many more, in possession
of the Rev. Mr. Garnon of North Witham: his daughter gave me a score of
them at Newark, Dec. 1728. Mr. Banks, 1735, digging for his new house
at Ancaster, found much Roman antiquity.
All the way from this road, upon Ancaster heath, we have a view of
the sea, and the towering height of Boston steeple. A little further
we come to a place, of no mean note among the country people, called
Byard’s Leap, where the Newark road crosses the Roman: here is a cross
of stone, and by it four little holes made in the ground: they tell
silly stories of a witch and a horse making a prodigious leap, and that
his feet rested in these holes, which I rather think the boundaries
of four parishes: perhaps I may be too fanciful in supposing this
name a corruption of _vialis lapis_. I mentioned before, that here
I apprehended the Roman road from the fen country passed down the
hill toward _Crocolana_. Upon our road there are many stones placed;
but most seem modern, and like stumps of crosses, yet probably are
mile-stones: it would be of little use to measure the intervals;
for one would find that the whole distance between two towns was
equally divided by such a number of paces as came nearest the total.
Over-against Temple-Bruer is a cross upon a stone, cut through in
the shape of that borne by the knights Templars, and I suppose a
boundary of their demesnes: some part of their old church is left, of
a circular form as usual. _Bruer_ in this place signifies a heath.
The Hermen-street hereabout is very bold and perfect, made of stone
gathered all along from the superficial quarries, the holes remaining.
I observed, whenever it intercepts a valley of any considerable
breadth, whose water must necessarily drain past it, there is an
intermission left in the road; for otherwise their work would be vain:
and the ends of the road are flaunted off neatly for that purpose,
laying perhaps a small quantity of solid materials to vindicate the
track, and not hinder the voidance of the rain: it goes perfectly
strait from Ancaster to Lincoln full north, butting upon the west side
of Lincoln town. A _tumulus_ some time upon the centre of it: it is
notorious from hence that the intent of these roads was chiefly to mark
out the way to such places in the march of their armies; for there can
be no need of a causeway for travellers, the heath being so perfectly
good; and that our English word _highway_ is hence derived, and applied
to public ways. When we come to the towns upon the cliff side, they
have ploughed up this barren ground on both sides the road, and basely
lowered it for miles together, by dragging the plough a-cross it at
every furrow; so that every year levels it some inches, and, was it
not a public road, it would soon be quite obliterated. Here are six
villages on the left hand, at a mile distance each, and a little off
the road, which make an agreeable prospect. Just descending Lincoln
hill, I saw the true profile of the road broke off by the wearing away
of the ground: it is about thirty foot broad, made of stone piled up
into an easy convexity: there is likewise generally a little trench
dug in the natural earth along both sides of the road, which is of
great use in conducting the water that falls from the heavens into
the vallies upon the long side of the road both ways, and prevents its
lodging and stagnating against the side of their work: the turf that
came out of those trenches they threw upon the road to cover it with
grass: thus had they all the curious and convenient ways for beauty,
use, and perpetuity.[76]
[Sidenote: TAB. XXVIII.]
Below the hill the Hermen-street meets with the Foss, which now
united march directly up to the city, across a great vale where the
river Witham runs, by Mr. Baxter thought the _Victius_ of Ravennas:
Mr. Leland calls it _Lindis_. As it descends towards Boston, it is
besieged, as it were, by religious houses, planted at every mile; such
as Nocton priory, founded by Robert D’arci, lord of the place, 1164.
now the elegant seat of Sir William Ellys, bart. Kyme priory, founded
by Philip and Simon de Kyme, knts. to which the Tailboyses added, who
married the heiress; Barlings abbey, founded by Ralph de Hay, and his
brother Richard; Stanfield, the seat now of Sir John Tyrwhit, bart.
Bardney abbey built by king Ethelred, who was buried here anno 712.
much added by Remigius bishop of Lincoln; Tupholm, founded by Rob. de
Novavilla; Stikeswold priory of the Benedictine nuns; Kirksted abbey,
by Hugh de Breton, whose ichnography is discoverable from its ruins;
Revesby abbey, by William de Romara.
[Sidenote: +Lindum.+]
[Sidenote: TAB. LXXXVIII.]
[Sidenote: 1.]
[Sidenote: 2.]