Page:History of Manchester (1771), Volume 1, by John Whitaker.djvu/566

A P P E N D I- X. Ixi 0ALE Manceter Claychefter Dowbridge near Lil burne Caftle Dykes near Wedon HORSELEY Manceter Claychefter Bugby Near Daventry mm Silchefter Southampton Farhham Ol^jSoijthampton Stukeley Manceter 4 Claychefter Dowbridge Towcefter Banbury Oxfordlhire Alcefter Oxfordfhire Dorchefter Oxfordfhire Stretley on Thames Sylchefter Southampton had the Caftle of Aldchefter upon it. This was undoubtedly the Praetorium of the ftation, and feems to have been furrounded with a flight ditch. The mount was dug into in the beginning of the laft century, and much Roman money was di (covered, as alfo brick, tile, and pavements of curioufly wrought tile in the bignefs of a fixpence and delicately laid (Hiftory of Aldchefter in Kennet's Par. Ant.)- But in the fpring of 1766 a confiderable opening was made into it by Mr. Penrofe the proprietor of the meadow. The workmen began upon the fouth-weftern part, and, through one foot and a half of old bricks and tiles and through four feet of aflies mingled with human bones, came to paved ground covered with fine gravel. Purfuing this for fevcn or eight yards, they reached the walls of the Praetorium. Thefe were {landing about three feet in height. Going along the outfide of the wall about twenty or thirty feet towards the north-weftern angle, they camq to an opening in it, which appeared to be a doorway and was about eight feet in breadth. At this opening they began to enter the building, and immediately discovered a Roman pavement raifed about four feet from the level of the meaiow, and appearing to extend through the whole compafsof the building. The pavement confifted of teffellae about one inch and a half in the fquare, bearing different colours, neatly ce- mented together, and laid upon a bed of mortar. Beneath, and on one fide of, the difcovered pavement was found a Roman Hypocauft. It was a low room of one foot and a half in height, floored with fmall pieces of cemented brick, and fupported by a great number of little pillars. Thefe were two or three feet diftant from each other, and had heaps of afhes between them. Mem.