Chap. IY. OF ANCIENT BUILDINGS. 1.79 



Roman emperors, dating from 133 to 361, and 



perhaps to 375 A.D., were likewise found. 



Also a half-penny of George 1., 1715. The 



presence of this latter coin seems an anomaly ; 



but no doubt it was dropped on the ground 



during the last century, and since then there 



has been ample time for its burial under a 



considerable depth of the castings of worms. 



From the different dates of the Roman coins 



we may infer that the building was long 



inhabited. It was probably ruined and 



deserted 1400 or 1500 years ago. 



I was present during the commencement of 



the excavations (August 20, 1877) and Mr. 



Farrer had two deep trenches dug at opposite 



ends of the atrium, so that I might examine 



the nature of the soil near the remains. 



The field sloped from east to west at an angle 



of about 7 ; and one of the two trenches, 



shown in the accompanying section (Fig. 8) 



was at the upper or eastern end. The 



diagram is on a scale of $ of an inch to an 



inch ; but the trench, which was between 4 



and 5 feet broad, and in parts above 5 feet 



deep, has necessarily been reduced out of all 



proportion. The fine mould over the floor 

 9 



