Gents Mag 1852 part 1 p.483
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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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* In our review of the Account of the Roman Wall
published by our Correspondent, we extracted his view of the
West Portal of Amboglanna. See our Magazine for Feb. 1851,
p.154. - Edit.
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