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Gentleman's Magazine 1851 part 2 p.385
floor of one of the largest of these is supported by no less
than forty-eight columns of masonry of about two feet
square; another room has twenty-four; in a third the floor
is laid upon pillars of tiles interspersed with some of
stone, a few of which had apparently previously joined the
capitals of columns in some decayed or destroyed building;
the floors are composed of large slabs of stone. These
apartments were heated by hypocausts, and many of them have
been provided with double doors.
The houses both here and at Borcovicus are pretty clearly
indicated in the pasturage, and it would be raising
expectation too high or promising too much were I to say
that, as at both these great stations the foundations of the
buildings appear to have been undisturbed, it is probable
pretty correct plans of the entire distribution of the areas
might be obtained by excavations. On the outside of these
castra, chiefly on the south, were villas and houses,
indications of which are so numerous as to warrant our using
the terms villages and towns. Beyond these are the
burial-places, where the greater part of the inscriptions
are found. It is in these memorials we read much of the
history of the places. To cite, for example, one found at
Chesters many years ago. It commemorates the restoration of
a temple, which had become decayed through age, by soldiers
of the second wing of the Astures, a people of Spain, in the
time of Elagabalus, under the consulate of Gratus and
Seleucus, answering to our A.D. 221. Now upwards of one
hundred years after this date we find the same wing of the
the Astures located here, a coincidence between the Notitia
and inscriptions which occurs frequently along the line of
the wall. The great importance of monuments such as these
must beget a desire that the stations on the line of the
wall should be thoroughly excavated, as it is more than
probable there are numerous inscribed stones still remaining
buried, especially when it is considered that those hitherto
discovered were brought to light through accidental
circumstances, and not from intentional research. At
Chesters Mr. Clayton has preserved numerous interesting
remains discovered there and at Housesteads. The following
mutilated inscription is worthy of notice, as recording a
soldier of Pannonia (Dagvaldus) and a female, Pusinna,
probably a near relative:
D. M.
.. DAGVALD . MI ..
.. PAN . VIXIT . A ..
.. PUSINNA ..
.. XXIT . VI .
Few travellers will be induced to seek the eastern terminus
of the wall in the busy scene of Wallsend, the site of
Segdunum, where but little either of the Roman wall or the
station is to be seen above ground. The site of the latter
is, however, with some difficulty to be traced upon the brow
of a rising ground overlooking the Tyne, like that of Lymne
in Kent, in relation to the Romney marshes. From Wallsend to
Newcastle every stone has been removed for cottages and
houses; but the foundation of the wall still obstructs the
plough, and by means of its accompanying vallum its course
can still be traced almost up to Newcastle. Westward,
therefore, from this great and populous town the antiquary
will probably commence his tour of the wall. He must first
be apprised that for nineteen miles the wall has been
levelled by order of the Government to form a high road, and
that, for this extent, with some few exceptions caused by
the obstructions of farm-houses, hills, and other
impediments, the modern road is constructed upon the
foundations of the wall. Walking in the centre of the road
he may detect the facing stones of the Roman structure on
his right and left. This great legalised piece of vandalism
throws into the shade a century of petty pilferings and
almost makes venial a thousand acts of destruction
perpetuated by ignorant individuals. It is in this district
where
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