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Roman Altar, Old
Carlisle
Hartburn, Morpeth.
MR. URBAN,
YOU will, I am sure, be glad to hear, that a Roman Altar has
been lately found at OLENACUM, or Old Carlisle,
concerning which I am enabled to send you an interesting
Letter, and correct drawings, forwarded to me by the Rev.
William Matthews, of Wigton Hall, proprietor of this
celebrated station, and a Magistrate of the county of
Cumberland. The only observation I would make is, that, on
another consideration, he may find the puzzling lines on the
first and second line were intended for FVLG.; for altars to
"Juppiter Optimus Maximus Fulgerator" are far from uncommon,
and even under the names of "Fulminator, Fulgurator,
Tonans." On his emendations on the altars printed by Camden,
and in Horsley, and noticed under Olenacum, numbers 6 and
12, in my last volume on Northumberland, I am very much
indebted for his critical care and observations; and
respecting his inquiry about a second edition on the Roman
Antiquities I have published in that volume, I am happy to
mention to himself and other Antiquarian scholars, that a
very few copies of the whole of it may be obtained under the
title of "THE ROMAN WALL and SOUTH TINDALE."
Yours, &c.
JOHN HODGSON.
Wigton Hall, Aug. 5.
DEAR SIR,
I SEND you a drawing of an Altar which was found a few weeks
ago in the bed of a small stream, which runs into the Wiza,
a little to the south of the Roman Station at Old Carlisle.
The letters upon it are very perfect, with the exception of
those in the last line, which are injured to the extent
shown in the drawing. I am unable to explain the
abbreviation VLK; but the numeral VII expresses, I think,
the number of times that Gordian was saluted Augustus, or
Imperator, which terms, after the reign of Octavius, be-
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