~ a Roman station. 
PICKINSON’S ANTIQUITIES 
the next station, is equally ascertained. At 
the distance, where the Itinerarium fixes it, 
are the remains of a Roman camp. ‘ Many 
Roman bricks, says our last mentioned au- 
thor, and other antiquities, have been found, 
particalarly a coin of Vespasian.’ This is 
called Barrow-field, and is in the parish of 
Fast Bridgeford. The same account of this 
ee is also to be met with in Camden, 
orsley, and other topographical writers. 
66 Ve now come to Ad Pontem, the post 
of difficulty. Many persons, deceived by the 
supposed etymology of its present name, have 
laced this station at Ponton, near Gran- 
tham; but the name is all that can be disco- 
vered to justify such an opinion: while the 
arguments are numerous which may be urg- 
éd against it, among the rest, that there is no 
water, in or near Ponton, to require the ac- 
__- commodation of any considerable bridge ; and 
_ it is not probable, that a small and inconsi- 
derable one should have given distinction to 
But the most material 
* objection is, that the town of Ponton lies so 
entirely out of any reasonable direction from 
Leicester to Lincoln, that it is almost impos- 
sible to conceive the Romans could make it 
a station in their route between these two 
places. Still, however, if there remained a 
doubt, the distance of Ponton from Bridge- 
ford would decide the difficulty; for the Iti- 
nerary makes Ad Pontem only seven Roman 
miles from Margidunum ; Ponton is nearly 
twice that distance.” 
We have selected the above observa- 
tions, in order to shew our author’s me- 
thod of arguing, which we mist confess 
is clear and conclusive: his succeeding 
remarks cannot fail to excite the attention 
of allwho are fond of this branch of know- 
ledge. An exceedingly neat plate is 
- given of the remains of a Roman foss on 
urridge-hill, Southwell, and a map of 
Roman roads and stations, equally well 
executed, which is explained in eight 
pages, closely printed. 
The following paragraph must not be 
omitted: 
«« A very recent discovery points out a 
precise track which led to one of the other 
stations from Ad Pontem, viz. to Lindum 
through Crococolana. The want of this 
has always been the stumbling block to an- 
tiquaries in determining Southwell to be Ad 
Pontem: the discovery of it seems to put 
the question almost beyond a doubt. The 
summer months of 1792 and 1793 being ex- 
trefnely dry, the foundations of an immense 
bridge appeared in the river ‘'rent (rendered 
shallow by the drought), near to the little 
village of Winthorpe, by Newark. On exa- 
side of it, at about an equal distance, are Upper Borough-town 
under the modern appellation of Broughton, 
fication, 
IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, &C.« 377 
mination, there was every reason to think 
them as old as the time of the Romans; and 
a sort of negative confirmation of that opi- 
niou arises from there not being even the 
vestige of a tradition that any such bridge 
has been situated in this part of the river 
Trent, since the time of a Norman con- 
quest. ‘The scite of it, if more closely exa- 
mined, presents even a still stronger argu- 
ment for believing that this only doubtful 
part of the Roman iter has been, at length, 
ascertained by this accident. If a line were 
(was) drawn from Southwell to Brough, it 
would pass over a hill called (from time im- 
memorial) “Mickleborough ; and also over 
this very bridge, whose foundations have so 
lately been discovered.” . 
Most of the towns whose name ter.’ 
minates in borough, are known to have 
been Roman stations; many discoveries 
of Roman coins, tessellated pavements, 
and Roman bricks at Southwell, are 
undoubted proofs that some of those peo-~ 
ple were seated there. 
The remainder of the first part treats 
of the name antiently given to this town, 
its importance, situation, soil of the 
neighbourhood, the air, foundation of 
the church by Paulinus, first archbishop 
of the north, and the registers of the 
chapter, with several other curious pars 
ticulars. 
«« It may be difficult to determine, with 
recision, what was the constitution of the 
church of Southwell, at the time of its 
original foundation; with how many pre- 
bends it was endowed; or in what manner 
and proportion their revenues were distri- 
buted. It appears, however, that about the 
Jatter end of the reign of William I. there 
were at least ten prebends, viz. those of 
Woodborough, Normanton, North Musk- 
ham, South Muskham, the Sacrista, two 
of Oxton, and three of Norwell.” 
Mr. Dickinson cites the registrum 
album, or white register, of the foun- 
dation, now m the chapter’s possession ; 
a book of great antiquity, abounding 
in curious matter, and absolutely inva- 
luable to all interested in the place: this 
“« determines with certainty the respec- 
tive times of foundation of the other six 
prebends, making in all'sixteen, as they 
remain at this day.’? He confutes an 
assertion in Dugdale’s History of the 
Church of Southwell, published 1716, 
that the church had antiently a dean and 
an archdeacon: “I find no mention 
joroug! and Nether Borough-town, 
his indicates the vicinity of a Roman forti- 
