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A Letter from G. SMITH, Esq. concerning the
Altar, &c. (See Vol.XI. p.650. and our last p.30.)
SIR,
I Have nothing to add, in relation to this Altar, being
agreeably prevented by so judicious an Antiquary as Mr.
Ward; what I have to say, shall be confin'd to the
local Observation made a third Time at Cast-steeds,
in order to satisfy his Enquiry.
The Dimensions of the Hypocaustum are 5 yards by 9 within
the Walls; the ground floor was of Clay in which the Stone
Pedestals were fix'd, about 4 or 5 Inches deep more or less,
so as to bring them to a perfect Level at Top, their Height
including the Depth in the Clay is generally about 2 Foot;
supported by these pedestals was a second Floor of white
Stone about 1 Inch thick and curiously cemented for the
Bath. The paralellopipedons of burnt Clay were plac'd
quincunx form, betwixt every other Row of these pedestals,
and were 5 or 6 Inches short of their Height, in order to
give Passage for the Smoak to warm the Bath; a perspective
Draught of what remain'd being sent you before, I shall here
give you an ichnographical Plan of a few of them, in order
to the better understanding the whole.
Here the Squares represent the Ichnography of the Pedestals,
and the n's that of the Clay Parallelopipedons which were
omitted in every other Row, as A B. There were above 100
Pedestals in all, 2 Pedestals and the Vacuity took up above
28 Inches as near as can be judg'd from the present State of
their Situation on the Floor.
Mrs Appleby, who deserves to be gratefully remember'd
by all Lovers of Antiquity, took great Pains to preserve
what she cou'd of those valuable Remains of the Antients,
she found there the Ruins of the Bottom and Sides of an Iron
Grate, which that Lady still has at Cast-steeds, and
some Pieces of Charcoal were lying up and down on the Floor.
Adjoining to the South Wall where the Grate stood, were two
curious Rooms, supported in the same manner with Pedestals,
and Conduits betwixt them, still running fresh when that
Lady found them, but on admission of the Air, all have gone
to ruin. The Floors of these Rooms that rested on the
Pedestals, were pav'd in the same manner as the Bath, with
this Addition, that a curious cemented Composition of Lime,
Brick-dust, and Pebbles, at least 4 Iinches thick was spread
over the Stone of a wonderful Hardness. Such Care have that
warlike People taken to render a Climate of these Northern
Regions agreeable to their Constitutions.
There were many other curious Floors found amongst the
Ruins, and some Coal-ashes; but I am apt to believe, that
the old Castle of the de Vallibus, Proprietors of
Gillsland after the Conquest, has been built
on the Ruins of this Fort, because several Curiosities that
intimate a more modern Date have been found here. It stands,
as most other Roman Forts have done, on a Lingula, as
near as the Defence of the Wall wou'd admit, betwixt the
Rivulets of Irthing and Cammock.
There was also a cold Bath found near the Place, and not far
from it something like a Cistern, about 5 Yards by 1 and a
half, compos'd of thick Slate Stones very large set
edge-ways, curiously cemented so as to refuse Passage to any
Liquid, on Supposition that it might be intended for such a
Design.
The Glass Bowl is very curious, but the Fragments not being
at the Edge any where, 'tis impossible to judge of its
capacity. One of the Pieces is about 1 Inch, 8 tenths
length-ways, and 1 tenth cross, or to speak Mathematically,
the chord is about 1 Inch 3 tenths long, and the Sagitta or
vers'd Sine 1 tenth, wherefore the Diameter ought to be 8
Inches 1 tenth at the Place, but these are extremely
difficult in such small Arches to be accurately determin'd.
No doubt but the Fable of Actaeon was the History on
the Bowl, and 'tis great pity it had not been intire.
G. SMITH
P.S. I have just now received the Jan. Magazine,
there are two Mistakes in the printing Cohorte
for Cohortis, and Consule for
Consulibus, in my first reading.
N.B. The learned Dr. Gale's Remarks on this
Altar, must be left to our next.
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