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Gentleman's Magazine 1852 part 1 p.483
of them attained. Notwithstanding the severity of the
climate the Waste of Bewcastle is not inimical to health.
The incumbent, the Rev. John Maughan, told us that he had
occasion three or four years ago to send to the Registrar
General of Health a return of the deaths in his parish
during the preceding ten years, when it appeared that
three-fourths of the people contained in the roll had
attained the age of upwards of sixty years.
A SECOND LATERAL GATEWAY IN THE STATION OF AMBOGLANNA,
BIRDOSWALD. - The stationary camps on the line of the Roman
wall are constructed very much upon one uniform plan.
Amongst other things, they seem to have been provided with a
gateway in the centre, or near it, of each side. The
gateways are usually double; a pillar of strong masonry
separating the entrance into two parts. Each part has been
closed by folding doors, as is proved by the pivot-holes
which remain.* When the eastern and western gateways
of Birdoswald were recently exposed by Mr. Potter, some
surprise was expressed that they should consist of only a
single portal. The reason of this is now made apparent.
There are two distinct gateways in the eastern side, and
also probably in the western. The farm-tenant, requiring
stones to build a fence (so we were informed on the spot)
began to remove the loose materials which incumbered the
eastern wall of the station. The result of his operation has
been to display a gateway in a most satisfacctory state of
preservation. It is situated as far from the north wall of
the station as that formerly discovered is from the south
(68 yards) while there is a space of about 60 yards between
them. This gateway, as well as that already exposed on the
western side, as also each of the portals of the south
gateway, which is double, is about 11 feet wide. The masonry
of this gateway stands nearly six feet high; the pillars
which form the jambs of the gate are, as usual, composed of
stones of cyclopean character: several voussoirs and a
springer lie upon the ground, thereby proving that the
gateway has been spanned by an arch. It would seem also as
if a separate opening had been provided for foot passengers,
for a large stone with a semicircular cutting in it, two
feet wide, has been found, which may have been used as the
arched heading of such a passage.
It is most satisfactory to know that the farmer has procured
a sufficiency of stones for his purpose without disturbing
one in situ. For the first time probably since the
Romans abandoned Britain the wants of the rural population
have contributed to the advancement of our knowledge. The
party deserves all praise for the intelligence which he has
exhibited in his operations. - Yours, &c.
JOHN COLLINGWOOD BRUCE.
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