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.]