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
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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