Picturesque Sketches of London, Past and Present — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Picturesque Sketches of London, Past and Present
John Stuart Mill · en
stratum of coarse sand cement. A cutting contiguous to the site of the
pavement exhibits a section of chalk foundation, with layers of Roman
tile, over which, supporting part of a brick building now in course of
demolition, are the remains of a strong chalk wall, about 10 feet high
and 4 feet in thickness. About 18 feet from the Roman pavement is a
circular shaft, similar to that discovered near Billingsgate in
connexion with Roman pavements and other remains on the site of the
present Coal Exchange. This shaft is composed of chalk, and lined with
hard stone. A chalk-built vault had been demolished by the workmen
before it could be properly examined. Fragments of the fine red pottery
called Samian ware, some of them bearing an elegant pattern, were found
at a depth of nearly 20 feet; of these we give engravings. In other
parts of the excavation, and in the face of the cutting, about 4 feet
below the pavement, were picked out bits of the same kind of pottery,
and fragments from a large mass of carbonised wood imbedded in the clay,
and seemingly one of the piles which had served to support the Roman
edifice formerly occupying the spot, in like manner with those
discovered near Billingsgate. It is worthy of remark that the site of
these discoveries is, as nearly as can be ascertained, that formerly
occupied by the fortress of Tower Royal, being just about the same
distance east of Queen-street as the line once known as Tower
Royal-street, so designated to mark the locality of the ancient royal
fortress; and it seems not improbable that the chalk superstructure
above described may have appertained to the walls of this edifice. Tower
Royal stood in the parish of St. Thomas the Apostle, in Watling-street,
and came down to the Thames with its gardens, stables, &c.
[Illustration: THE LONDON STONE.]
In Cannon-street, beside the church of St. Swithin, the old saint who,
in the country, is still believed to have a good deal to do with fair or
rainy weather, stands the far-famed London Stone, of which we give an
engraving: it is "let into" the wall of this church. The stone appears
to have stood on the opposite side of Cannon-street in Stowe's time, and
to have been "fixed in the ground very deep, and fastened with bars of
iron so strongly set, that if the carts do run against it through
negligence, the wheels be broken, and the stone itself
[Illustration: JEWEL.]