150 The Twentieth General Meeting. 



Mr. Fuller explained the origin of the name Watermoor. He 

 said the general impression was that it took its name from the 

 quantity of water abounding in the district. But in reality it took 

 its name from an ancient tenant of the Moor (for such it was 

 originally termed before the building of the houses), whose name 

 was Walter, who sold the land, which afterwards was known as 

 Walter Morels land; and as in those days Walter was pronounced 

 Water, as was borne out by Shakespeare^s play of Henry VI., hence 

 the corruption. 



The party then walked to the New Road, and having visited a 

 Roman well in Messrs. Jefferies^ nursery, were hospitably entertained 

 for a short time by Mr. Bravender, at " The Firs." After a brief 

 rest, they, still under the guidance of Professor Church, proceeded to 



The Amphitheatre or Bull Ring, 

 in the occupation of Mr. Robert Brewin, at Chesterton. The 

 whole of the party having arrived on one of the walls of this 

 ancient relic of past ages, 



Professor Church proceeded to give a short account of the amphi- 

 theatre, for such, he said, there was no doubt that it was. From 

 measurements made by Mr. Bravender, they found that its dimen- 

 sions were 200 feet long, and 130 feet wide. The walls were very 

 high in some places, 24 feet being the highest point. It had been 

 supposed by some to be a mere quarry, but such was evidently not 

 the case, for though it was certain that stone had been dug in the 

 neighbourhood, it was equally certain that it would not be dug with 

 such regularity as that with which this excavation had been made. 

 The banks had evidently been broken down by the weather in some 

 places. In former times, quoting from old histories of Cirencester, 

 Roman stone seats were recognised, but they had long since dis- 

 appeared. This circus resembled in form the one at Dorchester, but 

 that presented more regular features than this one, as it was ex- 

 cavated in chalk, which would retain its shape, while our own exam- 

 ple was formed in brashy soil and limestone, which would not. Some 

 persons suggested that the absence of seats was to be accounted for 

 by the suj^position that stone was not used, and that seats of wood 



