157 



three towns of Bath, Cirencester, and Gloucester m the order 

 in which I name them : they reached the North Gate 



of the city first. The destruction of this Gate and buildings 

 adjoining it would account for some of the diiference m the 

 rise of the street at this point: whilst part of the fall outside 

 is due to the natural formation of the ground. 



In the accompanying plan, the present level of the street is 

 slightly below that of the dotted line showing the floor. 



AH along the trench I have excavated, lay a bank of fine 

 earth, containing quantities of either charcoal, or wood so far 

 carbonized by time as to be indistinguishable from it, together 

 with oyster and mussel shells, snail shells, (only the common 

 helix aspersa,) bones of fowls, sheep, pigs, red deer, and oxen, some 

 of the latter being hos longifrons; besides a great variety of articles 

 made of bone, such as counters used in some game, a spoon, a 

 number of pins, and some large needles or bodkins. All these 

 are as well preserved as if they had been placed in their rather 

 damp bed only a few hours before they were found. The points 

 of the pins and needles are perfectly sharp, and on some of 

 them are distinguishable the marks of a fine file used in finishing 

 them. Many of the marrow-bones are split lengthways. 



Oyster shells are almost always turned up where there are 

 Koman remains in Britain. I have found two principal heaps, 

 of which one, farthest from the Gateway itself, consisted entirely 

 of larce coarse shells like those of the largest Mumble Oysters : 

 whilst the other which lay nearer the Gate, was wholly composed 

 of small "native " or Colchester shells. A visitor who was lately 

 examining the ground expressed some surprise that the Romans 

 should have had means of conveyance sufadently rapid to bring 

 oysters fresh from Colchester to Gloucester; but we must bear m 

 mind that they had not only a magnificent line of road between 

 these two cities, but a posting service of such excellence that 

 a government messenger could travel over it at the rate of a 

 hundred miles a day. At every five or six miles there was a 

 station at which forty horses were kept for the express service 

 only; and although none of these were allowed to be used for 

 private or commercial purposes, we may be certain that tlie 



