281 



If attention is directed to the northern extremity of the lane, 

 on crossing the Harewood road, more towards CoUingham, is a 

 lane which has the appearance of antiquity, and of peculiar 

 structure, and which terminates in the high road from Bramham 

 to Wetherby. There are good reasons for supposing this lane 

 to have been a continuation of Dalton lane, by these means 

 forming a connexion with Wetherby, and probably proceeding 

 as far as Isurium (Aldbro'), at which place it would unite 

 with a continuation of Rudgate. Should the surmise that 

 Dalton Lane has been a Roman vicinal road, be a correct one, 

 it will at once be seen that communication with all the known 

 places of Roman importance in the neighbourhood would at 

 once and readily be obtained. At the same time rural villas 

 were doubtless often adopted to escape the bustle of active life, 

 therefore the immediate connection of such abodes with im- 

 portant high roads, was not perhaps considered in selecting a 

 site for their construction. 



In the imperfect account of this interesting locality which I 

 have been able to give, it has been my endeavour to confine 

 myself wholly to fact and description. I leave abler hands to 

 decide the question whether here dwelt some provincial governor 

 in luxury and magnificence, or whether here some opulent 

 Roman in Britain made an attempt to continue his southern 

 luxuries and enjoyments, or whether the remains are of that 

 character which indicate connection with a lower class of society. 

 However this may be, the destruction is now complete what- 

 ever may have been the cause ; and for centuries at least 

 woods have flourished over and flocks have grazed upon the site 

 of this deserted mansion. Still the record, trifling it may be, is 

 capable of making a slight addition to the great objects of 

 archeological research : it may add one to the accumulation of 

 facts which, from their number and variety, not invariably from 

 their importance, is the basis of antiquarian knowledge — that 

 of making us acquainted with the arts, customs, and habits of 

 those long anterior to us, and in this manner enabling the 

 science to afford important assistance to allied subjects of 

 literature. 



