Itinerarium curiosum (centuria I) : $b or, an account of the antiquities, and remarkable curiosities in nature or art, observed in travels through Great BritainStukeley, William
History
Itinerarium curiosum (centuria I) : $b or, an account of the antiquities, and remarkable curiosities in nature or art, observed in travels through Great Britain
Stukeley, William
Great Britain -- Antiquities -- Early works to 1800; Great Britain -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
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
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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