afterwards rebuilt," combined with the acknowledged fact of a castle erected within the Roman walls having been long inhabited by the lords of the place, is urged as a clear confutation of the claim for such walls to have been those of Anderida. But, while the repairs of the outer defences do exhibit some traces of Norman masonry, the visible ruins of the castle seem to be not earlier than the thirteenth century, consequently that portion would have been constructed after Henry of Huntingdon wrote. And although the result of recent excavations appears to afford good reason for believing that a baronial residence had previously existed here, yet the reported Norman character of the remains thus brought to light, being of late date, may well imply even that the erection took place only in the very era of the historian, consequently perhaps not within his knowledge, if during his life. Moreover, notwithstanding the town of Pevensey, as already observed, closely adjoins the Roman position on the eastern side, and the village of Westham is equally near on the western, not a single habitation stands within the central area, nor are there perceptible indications that houses have ever stood there within any conceivable period. Wherefore we may, with much justice, apply to this locality now the expressions of the old chronicler respecting the city destroyed by Ella and his barbarian army, and say, that "only the site is pointed out desolate to those who pass."
With the view of easily and amicably terminating all debate upon the Anderida question, in 1851 the hypothesis was published,[1] that there were two Anderidas, one British, the other Roman! Of this idea the sole foundation is the imagination of the author, who, without advancing the shadow of a proof in its support, gratuitously "assumes" the fact. For such a theory therefore, the mere allusion to it will suffice.
No direct evidence upon the matter before us is supplied by those early records, which enumerate the Roman possessions in this island. Though more than one Roman road certainly existed in that portion of Sussex, the Itinerary of Antoninus describes no route through the district between Regnum (Chichester) and Kent, which omission will sufficiently account for its not containing the name of Anderida.
- ↑ In Consuetudines Kanciæ, by Charles Sandys, f.s.a.
