DUFFIELD CASTLE. 141 



takable way, that the road thence led off somewhat to the south, 

 crossing the Derwent a few hundred yards north of the present 

 railway station. The fact that the 1 791 Enclosure Map of Duffield 

 shows a ford then used, with lanes to it on each bank, lower than 

 this Roman ford, and almost opposite the railway station, does 

 not in any way disprove our former supposition. 



Since attention was drawn to the Duffield discoveries, careful 

 examination has been made of the west bank of the river, and 

 almost at the exact place where we thought the road crossed, 

 some long stones, like rou^h shallow steps, are to be noticed close 

 to the water. These may have been placed here for the con- 

 venience of cattle watering in comparatively modern days, or they 

 may have been bedded there for centuries ; but on digging with a 

 mere scraper close to them and between the joints, we found two 

 pieces of Roman tile or brick, and seven pieces of pottery, in- 

 cluding one perfect base of a small vessel. All of these were at 

 once pronounced to be Roman by that very careful and most 

 eminent antiquary, Mr. Franks, of the British Museum.* With 

 the route of the road on the other bank, we have now but little con- 

 cern. It had seemed to us most likely that it passed at right angles 

 into Rykneld Street, near Horsley Castle; but Mr. Ward's sugges- 

 tion that it passed into that main artery obliquely at Breadsall, 

 following the course of the present road from Duffield Bank to 

 Little Eaton, where it would be connected with Camp Hill at that 

 village, seems well worthy of investigation. 



The Romans in defence of this ford would naturally establish a 

 camp, and subsequently, in times of peace, the nature of the 

 settlement might to some extent change, though we expect that it 

 would be always garrisoned. The shallow foss of the plan is the 

 only certain trace, we think, of their rectangular earthworks, which 

 were subsequently so much altered. This site has yielded many 

 pieces of Roman tile. 



In order to test the composition of the mound on the castle hill, 

 and to see how far it was artificial, a trench a yard wide was driven, 



* AVe are quite ready to admit that these by themselves might only be 

 indications of a much used Roman watering-place. 



