78 



the Eoman Baths was contained in a parallelogram of 440ft., or 

 460ft. from east to west, with a width of from 140ft. to 160ft. 

 from north to south, and the total area would then be nearly 

 6,500 sq. ft. ; but this would not include the outer Courts or 

 Gardens, and the whole probably covered two acres. 



It has also been stated that the area marked by the Mediaeval 

 Walls — believed to stand on the foundation of the ancient 

 Eoman — is too small for a Eoman town, and comprehended the 

 baths only ; but as their circuit is nearly a mile in extent, there 

 was ample space not only for the forum, baths, and other edifices, 

 but for a population of considerable extent, knowing how closely 

 they were packed in ancient times. The area allowed for the 

 baths seems to be a fair allowance of space, though considerably 

 less than was assigned to their area in a paper read last year to 

 the Literary and Philosophical Society, which supposed the area 

 of the Eoman Baths to have extended over the whole space of 

 the enclosure within the walls, from E. to W. 



The Eoman Baths only occupied the southern front of the 

 forum which is now represented by the Abbey Church Yard ; but 

 the space occupied by the ancient forum is much encroached upon 

 by modern buildings. If the mediaeval walls followed the line of 

 the Eoman, they enclosed an area of 22i acres ; and if the 

 Eoman Baths extended over 2^ acres, their remain 20 acres for 

 the forum, streets, temples and other buildings of the ancient 

 town. 



We cannot but hope that the investigation of these baths 

 will be continued, and that their remains may be carefully 

 preserved. The coins and vessels hitherto found have been few, 

 considering the extent of the area now laid open ; but such 

 discoveries are always uncertain, as the baths were probably 

 in use for a limited time after the Eoman domination had 

 ceased, and were well ransacked for articles in later times, before 

 they became permanent ruins. 



The inscribed Metal Plate, of much interest, found in the 



