Page:History of Manchester (1771), Volume 1, by John Whitaker.djvu/42

Cfaajv I. OP MANCHESTER; i 3 the liquid retaining a co&fi derabfa degree of faltnefe. Akttg one particular part of the margin, from the eaftern boundary o£ the field beyond the moudx of the fubterraneous tuaoeU the ooky part in which the upper point of the bank has beeij hitherto cut down, or bid open, the fame effects of the British (Economy in war have regularly appeared upon the front both of the rocks and of the foil which are above the prefent edge of the water* wherever the adventitious earth has been ac- cidentally removed from the face of either. Both upon fuch a removal hare appeared clearly to* have been for merly cut down, either into a very {harp defcent, or into an abfohite perpendicular. Both therefore* as we have every reafon to conclude, muft have been fo cut down> not only foe this particular extent? but along the whole femictrexdar margin of the river. And about twenty yards to the eaft of the ihbtfirraneous tunnel, upon the point of a proje&ing rock and beneath the fame artificial foil, appeared ip'1766 a large flight of rude flairs leading down to the river, being ieven fteps about three yards in length, from three quar- ters of a yard to a foot in breadth and frqm ten to four inches in depth, and very vifihby worn away near the middle. Thefe Aai rs, formed as they muft have been becaofe oS the fteepnefe of the fcarped lank and for an eafier defcene to the current, mA formed" as 'they pretty . certainly were betwixt the original conftru&ion of the fortxefs and the advance of the Romans into Lancashire, would naturally upon the firft alarm of the latter be thotoght to af- ford too ready a paffage into the town. And the lower part of them had been: actually cut down into an* abfolute perpendicular. Such were the boundaries of this Britifh city. The principal enterance into it muft have been near the north-eaftern angle of tfte field*, and in the large vacancy betwixt the commencement of the eaftem fofle and the conclufion of the northern ditch. This ground was opened m 1765, and the foil appeared plainly to have been never fhifted at all. And the area inclofed within the whole the Britons limit have filled with houfes for them- felves and with hovels foe their cattle 8 . Both of them muft have, beea habitations more ftrongly huik than their temporary - ' - huts