[1] The late John Ives, Jun. Esq; of Great Yarmouth, F. R. & A. S. who was possessed of these Plates, kindly lent that of Sir Henry Spelman for this Edition: the other was re-engraved before the Editor knew in whose possession they were.

[2] Cum perpetui ferè & asperrimi montes sint versus occasum.—Baxteri Glossarium, voce Otodini.

[3] At Hall, by Inspruck, salt-rocks, says Mr. Addison in his Italian Travels.

[4] Cæsar calls Arminius a German general, whose proper name was Harman, or Herman, which signifies in that language the General of an Army.

[5] The 6th of August, 1733, I went to meet Mr. Roger Gale coming from Peterborough. I staid at the Roman road, on that high hill, they have lately afresh plowed up some of the heath. It is surprizing to see how thick the fossil shells lay just under the surface, turned to stone; cockles, muscles, bivalves, whilks, and many more. I measured the adventitious turf grown over the Roman road: at a breach, it is almost six inches.

[6] Lolham and Torphall, two royal manors belonging to Margaret countess of Richmond, who lived at Colliweston, a great old house at Lolham, which has been moted about. At Torphall the foundation of an antient tower forty foot square.

Mr. Samuel Parker gave me, 1735, a silver Antoninus found by the Cardike on the back of Peterborough minster: the reverse, COS. III. DES. IIII. Many Roman coins found in digging in the ruins of the minster.

At Moreton upon the Cardike, much Roman coin found.

[7] Cardike is British: Cæirs is palus

[8] Oslac, ambassador from Athelwolf, king of the West Saxons, anno 851, to Bertulf, king of Mercia, witness to a charter of Bertulf’s to Croyland abbey, Ingulf, p. 490. This was done at a parliament held at Kingsbury, a manor of the kings of Mercia, near Verolanum, and near where Offa had built the monastery to St Alban. I suppose Oslac, often mentioned in charters about 966, in Ingulf and others, to be Oslac, in the time of king Edgar, partner with earl Osul in the government of Northumberland, by king Edred constituted. His hand is at king Edred’s charter to Croyland, anno 948; to that of king Edgar, in 966; and to that of king Edgar to Peterborough, 970. Roger de Hoveden, p. 243. Oslac, butler to Athelwolf, was a Goth by origin, says Rog. de Hoveden, descended from Stuf and Withgar, two earls and brothers, who received the Isle of Wight from their uncle, king Cerdie, and Cinvic his son, their cousin.

[9] Ralf, or Radinus Scalre, son to Goda, sister to king Edward: he is buried at Peterborough. Leofric, lord of Brun, was cousin to him. Earl Rodulf was son to Goda. William Malmsbury, p. 45. b. Earl Rolf was one of king Edward’s admirals against earl Godwin.

[10] Morcar had these manors following, in the time of Domesday book: Colstewrde (Colsterworth) Basingheham, Shillington, Cherchebi (Kirkby) Chime (Kime) Bodebi, Wellingoure, Castre, Cotes, Barewe, Stroustone, Nort Stoches, Carletune, Bredesthorp, Wes-Bitham, Bortone, Brune, and Stapleford.

Bodebi belonged of right to Crowland.

[11] Morchar, or Macher, as William Malmsbury calls him, son of Elgar, or Algar, p. 46. b. was made earl of Northumberland; Tostin, son of Earl Godwin, losing it for his severity: and at the end of king Edward’s life, Tostin coming out of Flanders to invade the coasts of Northumberland in a piratical manner, was repelled by the forces of Morcar, and his brother Edwin. Tostin goes into Scotland, there meets Harold Harfag, the Norwegian, with three hundred ships upon an invasion: they agree to join forces, land in Northumberland, surprise the two brothers overjoyed at their late victory, and shut them up in York city till king Harold relieved them.

Tostin, son of earl Godwin, was earl of Northumberland, and turned out, by instigation of his brother, at the end of Edward the Confessor’s life, and Morchar made earl in his stead. Morcar, and his elder brother Edwin, lived there very lovingly together, and when Harold the king was slain by William the Conqueror, offered themselves to the people, who might chuse one of them for their king. Harold and they were cousins; and they were at London at the time of the battle of Hastings: but William the Conqueror’s fortune prevailed both in getting the battle, and in getting the kingdom. Afterwards they disturbed the Conqueror by little inroads and vexations, and were sometimes taken prisoners; yet he pardoned them, and married them to his relations. At length they were slain perfidiously by their own men, and the king was much grieved at their death.

[12] Hereward married Turfrida in Flanders.

[13] The Duke of Ancaster, 1726, showed me a large brass Hadrian, but defaced, dug up in his garden, near the tumulus at the end: he says more coins have been found about the stone pits in the park. That tumulus perhaps was the burial-place of Grime, who denominated the place Grimsthorp, or Grime’s farm, probably some great Saxon, or Dane. I observe there are a few more tumuli upon hills hereabouts, as one on the heath by Corby. I think the country hereabouts extremely fine and delightful: an excellent kind of stone is dug up in Grimsthorp park; and here and there a vein of good marble of a darkish colour: the blueish marble lies uppermost in a bed of about four foot; then a bed of twenty foot thick, of an excellent whitish stone, with reddish veins where they can cut blocks of any dimensions. Anno 1731, in digging in the court yard, they found an old brass seal, a coat of arms, two bars ermine; the epigraphe, as well as I could make it out, thus:

[14] Later, about 1701 or 1702.

[15] At Grantford, by March, 1732, several Roman urns found.

[16] Holbech seems to have been Holbergh, as Wisbech Wousbergh.

[17] Anno 1727, at Walpole, by the side of Wisbech river, abundance of Roman aqueducts were dug up, and Roman bricks, &c. and Mr. Colburn, minister there, sent me an aqueduct.

[18] Wisbech is called Wiseberch, i. e. burgh, in king Wulfhere’s charter to Peterburgh. Mr. Peck’s Ant. Stanf. p. 21. Many Roman aqueducts dug up at Wisbech castle, when they built the present structure, as Mr. Beaupre Bell tells me; such as were found at Walpole, whereof I have one. William the Conqueror built a castle upon the Roman work.

[19] No less than eight canoos were found in draining Martin mere. Dr. Leigh’s Lancaster. A moss-deer’s skeleton found fourteen foot under ground in the fens by the river Witham, Lincolnshire. I saw part of a moss-deer’s horn at the Society in Peterborough, found in the fens there.

[20] The bed wherein Margaret lay, has since been removed to a farm-house by the fen-side, called Wrigbolt, where I have seen it. It is a very old-fashioned oak bed with panels of odd embossed work, like many we see in old country houses.

[21] Pliny says they eat ducks in Britain as a great delicacy.

[22] Radulfus de Holbech officium custod. resignat, & resumit locum focii ap. Æd. Petri Cant. 1349.

[23] Algar the Count, called the Younger, with his two stewards, Wibert and Leofric, who gave names to these three towns, Algarkirk, Wiberton, Leverton, with other warriors, obtained a great victory over the Danes, anno 870. (Chron. Joan. Abb. S. Petri de Burgo, ed. a Spark, p 15. from Ingulf) but were slain the next day. 9 Ed. I. Ranulf de Rye obtained of the king a licence for a market every week, on the Monday, at his manor of Gosberchurch, and free warren there, as at his lands at Swinflete, Quadavering, Donington, Iwardby, and Housthorp.

[24] Thoroton’s Hist. of Nott. gives part of this Pedigree, p. 174.

[25] That monument in the church-yard was probably that of St. Botulphus, who was buried in this town, and famous for miracles before and after death.

[26] The old church, built after the Danish devastation in 870, was of Turketil’s raising, who died 975. The new part of Crowland abbey was built in 1114.

[27] The names of Croyland bells are mentioned by Ingulf, p. 505. b. The first was made by Turketil, Guthlac the greatest: the five others were made by his successor, abbot Egelric; Bartholomew, Bettelin, Turketyl, Tatwin, Pega and Bega.

[28] The abbot of Croyland’s chair is at Mr. Dove’s seat at Upton by Peterborough, a descendant of bishop Dove’s: upon it, BENEDICITE FONTES DN̄O. I suppose the abbot’s name was Fountain.

[29] St. Guthlake’s hermitage ruins pulled down about 1720.

[30] The triangular bridge of Croyland is mentioned in the time of king Edred, anno 948. St. Guthlake’s cross, Plate XI. was set up by abbot Thurketil a little before that time.—Ingulf, p. 497. b.

[31] Of these crosses thus Walsingham, Hist. Angl. anno 1291. Dura (rex) finibus Scotiæ, &c.

[32] Grantham and Stamford were two stages. Mr. Howgrave says there was a queen’s cross at Stanford; and the like is affirmed of Grantham, and that it stood in the open place in the London road: and I saw a stone, carved with foliage work, said to be part of it; and I believe it, seeming of that sort of work: if so, then Newark and Leicester must be left out, and they travelled with the queen’s corpse by way of Oundle to Geddington from Stanford, I suppose the present London road from Stanford being unpassable, or not having at that time royal seats, manors, or abbeys, by the way, sufficient to entertain the cavalcade. Mr. Peck, in his Stanford Antiquities, asserts Grantham and Stanford two of the stages, and where crosses were erected, no doubt, that at Grantham flood in the open London road before my neighbour Hacket’s house, called Peter-church hill; and the people have some memory of it. Mr. Peck puts in Woburn between Dunstable and St. Alban’s; upon what authority I know not.—Geddington was a manor of the king’s, V. Regist. Hon. Richmond, p. 280.—Camden in his Remains, p. 208, who doubtless had seen them, inserts Grantham and Stanford, V. p. 116.

[33] At Naseby, round the font an inscription, ΝΙΨΟΝ

[34] The Rev. Mr. Bertie of Uffington gave me 1735, several Roman coins found in this city; a very fair silver Hadrian, IMP. CÆSAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG. reverse, a sitting figure. PM TRP COS. III.

[35] Jan. 1718, between Broadwel and Stow in the Wold, Gloucestershire, a countryman digging a ditch to divide a pasture, found an urn of a green colour: at top it had foliage work; in it thirty pound weight of copper Roman coin, which he sold for six-pence per pound. About a dozen were sent to Dr. Mead, of Constans, Constantine, and Magnentius.

[36] Acha, in Irish, is a dike, mound, or bank.

[37] The countess of Warwick was abbess here. Tiber. B. XIII. 5. Bibl. Cotton. is her elegium.

[38] Holinshed, in his Hist. Engl. p. 92. says a stone trough full of Roman coin was found at Grantham forty years before: he there gives an account of the golden helmet, &c. found at Harlaxton.

[39] The castle was in the close by the river east of the church: people alive remember foundations of it being dug up. I saw this year, 1726, a large brass Antoninus coin, found near Slade mill, in possession of Mrs. Vincent. Some think the castle was at Captain Hacket’s house, and that it was John of Gaunt’s castle, who had a manor here: however, great foundations are at the place, and arches have been taken up by the Captain; whether belonging to that manor house, castle, or the adjoining St. Peter’s church, now demolished, I know not.

[40] It is a mistake I was led into by the vulgar opinion of the people of Grantham: Mr. Stokes was master of the school in Sir Isaac’s time.

[41] 1726, I saw the tomb-stone of this Robert new dug up, in a stable where was the priory chapel: wrote in large letters with lead cast in them.

[42] I have a brass Claudius, found in Grantham, reverse, ceres avgvsta, struck on occasion of that universal dearth mentioned by St. Luke. Josephus takes notice of it, Ant. Jud. III. 18.

[43] It contains 26,586 principal wheels, any one of which may be stopped separately, and independent of the rest: one regulator governs the whole work. It works 73,728 yards of silk every time the water-wheel goes round, which is thrice in a minute; 318,504,960 yards of silk in a day and night. A girl of eleven years old does the work of thirty-five persons. One chimney conveys warm air into every room.

[44] Walter Laci gave to the canons of Lanthony the whole valley where the abbey was situate, viz. from Kenentesset and Askareswey, by the Rudgewey, to Antefin, and from Haterell, from the land of Sesil Fitzgilbert, by the Ruggewey, to the bounds of Talgarth.

[45] An account of these shells in Phil. Trans. p. 427. V. II. Mr. collector Terry tells me they find here vast quantities of antediluvian fir-trees, and peat very deep in the earth: amongst it, a large hollow gold ring, an inch and a half diameter; and a broad thick coin of base gold, full of strange unknown characters on both sides, sold to a goldsmith there; probably an invaluable curiosity.

[46] At Frilsham, a Roman villa by ad Spinam, a Roman altar dug up, dedicated to Jupiter, 1730, in the earl of Abingdon’s grounds.

[47] At Froxfield, south of Ramesbury, upon the via Trinobantica, a Roman villa discovered anno 1724. under a wood two Mosaic pavements. Lord Winchelsea has the drawings of them. Many antiquities found here.

Howhill near here.

[48] Lod and Lud, &c. is a general name for rivers. The river Loddon runs into the Thames between Reading and Henley. Loddon, the name of a town upon a rivulet running into the Yare near Yarmouth, Norfolk. Lutton, in Holland, Lincolnshire, where all the drains of the country meet. Ludlow, and Ludford near it, from the river. Lidston, in Devonshire, and Lidford, anciently a large town upon the river Lid, a branch of the Tamar. Lidbury, upon the river Liden, Herefordshire. River Lid, in Cumberland. Lidesdale, Loder, in Westmoreland. Luda river and town (Louth) Lincolnshire. Ludham, upon a river in Norfolk. Lug, in Herefordshire, a river of note. Loghor, a river in Glamorganshire. Hence Luguballia, Lugotitia, Ludgate, &c.

[49] Wm. of Malmsbury, p. 65 tells a story he had from this Walkerius.

[50]

[51] Among the old Egyptians, Herodotus tells us, (Euterpe) one sort of soldiers was called Hermotybiæ; latui arma.

[52] The Roman station between London and Hertford (I suppose they had one every ten miles, if conveniently it could be) was probably at Cheshunt, anciently Cestrehunt; and it is likely there was a fortification there. Wadesmill retains the name of Vadum.

It is very easy to discern where the old Roman road becomes the present road northward, by the alteration of its direction, near a little rill between Wadesmill and Ware. Wadesmill was a Roman ford, vadum, wath; whence its name: and from hence the Roman road is the common one, or post road, to Chesterton, or Durobrivæ, upon the river Nen.

K. Edward senior, in 909, the 9th year of his reign, built a castle there, says H. Hunt; where it is printed Herefordiam instead of Hertfordiam. Castrum non immensum, sed pulcherrimum, inter Beneficiam (the Bean) & Mimera & Luge flumina, &c.

Cestrehunt, Cheshunt, is via ad castrum. Huynt, hynt, is in Welsh a gang, or road, a by-road, short road.

[53] Vast quantities of coins found at Gamlingay, as I am told by Mr. Peck.

[54] June 11, 1729, Mr. Welby of Denton tells me, Gardiner, who keeps the Crown inn at Camboritum, lately found many Roman coins there, and sells them for four pence a piece.

[55] Dr. Brady, in his History of England, p. 48. mentions this city. Hollingshed, p. 92. b. of his History of England, says a gate of it was standing in his time.

[56] Et camuris hirtæ sub cornibus aures. Virg. G. III.

[57] The chalk ends about two miles north of Baldoc and Royston.

[58] The market-place at Royston is a large square area, seemingly of Roman design.

[59] Probably Roisia, wife to Pagan de Beauchamp, Baron 3d of Bedford, who built the castle of Bedford about the time of the Conquest.

[60] May 15, 1732, I rode between Huntingdon and Cambridge, and discovered evidently that it was a Roman road all the way, pointing strait from Godmanchester to Cambridge castle. When I told this to Mr. Roger Gale, then at Cotenham, he said, he had observed that Roman road which lies on Gogmagog hills to point likewise upon Cambridge castle; so that the ford at Cambridge river is originally Roman: and undoubtedly there was a Roman town at Cambridge, for the conveniency of passengers and armies between the Iceni and the northern parts beyond Huntingdon. I apprehend Chesterton and Grantchester were Roman forts and repositories of corn from this country, to be sent to Peterborough, and so by the Cardike into the north: and from the bridge at Cambridge, Bridge street and St. Andrew’s street are continuations, in a very strait line and direction, of the Roman road.

July, 1742, Mr. collector Collins showed me several Roman coins, curious and fair, both silver and large brass, found lately at Gormanchester; Hadrian, Antoninus, Severus.

[61] The Saxon word stiff seems to be the same with the Greek στιβαρος, from στιβειν, to stiffen, durare, roborare; στυφεω to stiffen, cogere, constringere: but which is the primitive, I shall not determine. There are many large tumuli, by the road-side, at Little and Great Stukeley: so one at the town-end of Stilton northwards, and another on the top of the next hill northward by the road.

[62] Sir Robert Cotton bought the whole room from Foderinghay castle, wherein Mary queen of Scots was beheaded, and set it up here.

[63] Durobrivis was at that Roman work by the river side in Chesterton parish. Allerton, hard by, was anciently wrote Aldwalton, Aldwarkton.

[64] The Castle field was walled about: perhaps this was originally one of the forts upon the Antona, built by A. Plautius before the Roman road was made.

[65] Castre is called a royal manor, Ingulf, p. 497.

It seems likely to me that Kimbolton was the town where Boadicia lived; Kiseni pant, the Icenian valley; as she was making homewards, she was met by the Romans at Ravensden, or the Roman valley, where the battle was fought; and that they buried her at Reynold, where the circular antiquity is, by the road side between Bedford and St. Neot’s. It lies near the meadow, and seems to be a British place for celebration of sports.

[66] Mr. Parker, supervisor of excise, gave me a silver Domitian found at Castor; reDIANA, as usual. I saw a good brass Galba found there.

I have a silver Hadrian found at the true Durobrivis, Chesterton; reCOS. III.

Anno 1731 the people of Bernac dug up some urns, with coins in them, near the Roman road passing through that parish. Mr. Archdeacon Payn showed me a brass Magnentius: there were many urns, coins, a brass fibula, tweezers, &c. dug up. I suppose it was a family burying-place of the Roman villa at Walcot.

Mr. Terry, collector, gave me a good brass Vespasian, reverse AVGVSTI, found at Uffington.

[67] Wansford is Avonsford.

[68] Many Roman coins found at Wilsthorp, upon the old Hermen-street: it was a Roman station, being the same distance from Durobrivis on the old street, as Brigcasterton on the new.

[69] I have several brass coins, found in the fields by Ryhall, in the neighbourhood of Brigcasterton; particularly a large Nero, of Corinthian brass; reverse, VICTORIA AVGVSTI: another; reverse, a victory S. C. a Trajan, of Corinthian brass; reverse, CERES. S. C. Maximian, reverse, GENIO POP. ROM. Constantinus Aug. reverse, PRINCIPI JUVENTUT. exergue PLN. percussa Londini Constans Felix temp. repar. Nerva. Trajan; reverse, COS. IIII. P. P. Claud Gothicus.

Mr. Beaupre Bell gave me a fair Sev. Pertinax, middle brass, found in Tickencote lane.

I saw a silver denarius of Pompey, found in Castreton field, 1733, the first in second plate of Patin’s famil. Rom. Pompeia.

I have a middle-sized brass coin of Nero, found at Brigcasterton, S P Q R stamped on the neck. I saw a large Severus Pertinax, brass, found there, Mr. Foden’s. Dec. 7, 1731. Lord Ganesborough showed me a fair large brass Divo Antonino, reverse, the Antonine column, dug up in Exton church-yard.

Pickworth church, to the right, was burnt down, together with the then populous town, by the rebels in Henry the Seventh’s time; and all now lies in ruins. At the same time Hornfield and Hardwick demolished. Pickworth steeple, a very fine spire, and seen all round the country, was taken down about A. D. 1728, to build a sorry bridge at Wakerley. I saw the lower part of the steeple anno 1731, when it was pulled down to build a bridge by Casterton. There was a pretty church and an ancient one at Ingthorp, now turned into a dwelling-house.

[70] Sir Isaac was born at Wolsthorp, a hamlet of Colsterworth. Some part of the high dike remains perfect enough in the fields over-against Colsterworth.

[71] A silver Trajan, found by the high dike in ditching near the Woodnolk in Little Paunton parish, was sent by Madam Eyre, of Eastwell, to Lady Oxford.

Many Roman coins found at Strawston, in possession of my neighbour Andrew Hacket, esq. and vaults dug up there: it is near Paunton.

William de Vesci gave the church of Ancaster to the nuns at Walton; to the knights Templars he gave the churches of Cathorp and Normanton; to the canons of Sempringham, and nuns of Ormsby, the hermitage at Spaldingholme.

[72] The name of Kesteven undoubtedly came from Causennis; but Brigcasterton is really out of that division: Paunton is in the midway of it. Many arched vaults under ground about Paunton Magna: in one of them some coiners lodged for some weeks.

[73] Mrs. Woodward gave me a silver Antoninus upon his consecration, found at Ancaster: she says, one morning she was there, a labourer brought home a dozen Roman coins just then found.

[74] Roman coins are found at Thistleton, near Post Witham, and at Market Overton: two large tumuli in a valley, near a division-dike, on that beautiful plain called Saltby heath.

I saw a fine brass Alexander, Roman; reverse, PROVIDENTIA, a Genius with a cornucopia and ear of corn.

A mile off Stretton, between Stamford and Grantham, between Stretton and Market Overton, is a place called the Holmes, where they find vast quantities of Roman coins. Mr. Parker, supervisor, gave me several, of the low empire: after a shower of rain, on the ploughed ground, they find them plentifully. No doubt but this was a Roman town. I viewed it with Mr. Baron Clark, of Scotland, May 30, 1733: it is a villa, or shepherd’s town, upon a delightful plain: there is an old well, which is new scoured, and the foundation of a wall that inclosed a kind of a court: it is near Thistleton.

Mr. William Annis gave me a brass Magnentius, found at Honington; reFELICITAS REIPUELICÆ.

[75] A Roman Mosaic pavement found in the fields above Denton, February 1727–8, of which I sent an account to the Royal Society.

[76] I saw in possession of Mr. Terry of Lincoln, found at Ledenham, a Corinthian brass coin obliterated, with three holes bored in it.

Over the parson’s gate of Ledenham an inscription of the famous John Dee, minister here.

[78] The castle of Lincoln was made by the Saxon kings, repaired by William the Conqueror.

[79] Captain Pownal gave me a brass Fausta, wife of Constantine, found in a barrow near Lincoln, SPES.

Mr. S. Buck gave me a Crispus Nob. C. brass, found in the rubbish of a house, reverse, BEATA TRANQUILLITAS P L C. struck at Lincoln.

Captain Pownal told me they found coins, scatteringly, as they dug up a Roman tumulus near Lincoln, anno 1727.

Sept. 2, 1731, I accompanied Mr. Roger Gale, in his journey to Yorkshire, as far as Lincoln, (Dr. Knight of Bluntsham with us) just before they had dug up the foundation of the Roman east gate toward Banovallum: the stones exceeding large, cramped with iron. Lord Burlington was present.

This summer they found two Roman tombs by the quarries on the same Banovallum road; four great stones set together like a coffin, and one on the top: there were in it the bones of a man, with urns, lacrymatories, and coins.

[80] More brass armillæ in the tumuli.

[81] All the fields about Allington, Fosston, &c. are covered over with petrified shells of a particular kind of oyster; they call them there crow-stones.

[82] So Sedetani, a people of Spain, in Silius are called Hedetani; by Ptolemy, Segesta, a town in Sicily, Egesta, &c.

[83] I saw a coin found here, brass, of Claudius; reverse, a soldier with a shield throwing the pile.

[84] The countess of Warwick, whose maiden name was Wray, gave the manor to Magdalen college, Cambridge.

[85] ——Partes ubi se via findit in ambas.

[86] June 7. 1732, Mr. John Ash showed me some Roman coins found at Ludford by Market Raisin, where he says they find very many: it is fourteen miles from Lincoln, and probably a Roman station upon the Fossway going toward the sea: the coins were of Constantius Cl. Gothicus, &c.

[87] In Bede it is called Tunnaceaster, from Tunna the owner, a Saxon, IIII. 22.

[88] The Thane was a count, or minister of the king. Tong castle, in Shropshire, upon the head of the Severn.

[89] Near Stanford, in old writings, the Hermen street is sometimes called the Foss.

[90] Vide Ogilby’s Survey, [p. 207].

[91] Godfrid abbot of Peterborough built a new roof and chapel at Collingham, which cost him 57l. 15s. 1d. says Walter Whittlesey, [p. 162]. this was about 1316. July 10, 1729, the reverend Mr. Welby of Scaleford gave me a coin or two, Roman, found near the Foss at Crocolana; one remarkably corroded, seemingly of Corinthian brass.

[92] Turketil Hoche gave it, says Hugo Candidus.

I saw two Roman coins found at Crocolana, 28. Apr. 1728. There is a long old wall.

[93] April 28, 1728, I saw at Newark two Roman coins, lately found at Brough: they say there is a long old wall there.

[94] Mr. Twells of Newark sent me four Roman coins dug up in the fields by Newark; a Magnentius, pretty fair; reverse, P. Antoninus Pius; two large Trajans, but defaced.

I guess Newark was built in the later Roman times, for its commodiousness upon the Trent, and exhausted the neighbouring Brough: both being destroyed by the plundering Danes, perhaps were repaired in after-ages, and called Newark.

My cousin, Edmund Dickenson esq. gave me a large brass Verus found in Newark fields, 1729, obliterated; an Hadrian found there.

Oct. 7. 1731, I satisfied myself that this was the long-sought-for episcopal see called Sidnacester.

I saw a gold Gratian, reverse, VICTORIA AUG. G. found at Thoroton; in my brother Collins’s possession. The rev. Mr. Guy, of Long Benington, says they find Roman coins in the fields thereabouts.

[95] Newark castle built by Alexander bishop of Lincoln.

[96] April 17, 1730, I heard, in the neighbourhood, of Roman pavements dug up there, and coins. Burton, in his Leicestershire, speaks of antiquities found here.

Upon the Foss-way hereabouts was found a large and fine medallion of Corinthian brass inclosed with wax: among other coins, the head of the emperor M. ANTONINUS AUG. TRP. XXVII. reverse, the head of his son COMMODUS CÆS. GERM. ANTONINI AUG. GERM. FIL. it is of that kind of medals called contorniati. I think it was found in an urn, with a coin or two more.