representing the Thehan Sphinx. 9 



whom it is sliewn, that no walls existed around the town at the 

 time of this temple. Indeed, had there been such a circuit of 

 defence, we should bear in mind, that it was by no means un- 

 common with the Romans to construct temples without their 

 towns ; and they seem, with all other nations of antiquity, to 

 have preferred high places for such holy purpose. 



My conjecture is singularly supported by the very great mass 

 of building materials, that have been thrown up during the late 

 foundation of the General Hospital. It must have been evident 

 to all those who witnessed, as I did, the recent disturbance of 

 the soil upon the identical spot under consideration, that some 

 very large building had stood on the same ground ; but, at an 

 early period, of which no local tradition now remains. 



I have already pointed at the Roman character, of the anti- 

 quities discovered upon the spot : to which I might add the 

 coins of that people, which are found there from the time of 

 Julius Cassar to that of the Constantines. 



Considering the pains that have been taken at Colchester, 

 for many successive centuries, to remove from their foun- 

 dations all remains of Roman edifices convenient in the 

 erection of the buildings, which succeeded at every period ; the 

 quantity of stones and Roman bricks dug out from the present 

 hospital garden did appear extraordinary. I observed not only 

 red bricks and tiles of undoubted Roman manufacture, but 

 have also remarked, at the same place, several specimens of a 

 costlier species of white tile, evidently the fabric of that people. 

 Amidst a large quantity of unhewn stone, which has been lately 

 thrown out, and was probably used in foundation, and other 

 works equally removed from the eye, there have been disco- 

 vered many and well hewn fragments of Swanage ; much of 

 which stone is observable also in the castle, and among other 

 Roman materials in the walls of the town, in the churches, and 

 in other ancient buildings at Colchester. 



While the workmen were digging last year for the foundation 

 of the hospital, I remarked continually the bones of oxen, deer, 

 pigs *, and fowls, amongst the Roman remains : and, fiom 



• These were evidently of the wild species. 



