A HISTORY OF SUFFOLK 



of Lake Lothing with the sea was effected when the harbour at Lowestoft 

 was formed ; before that the narrow strip of land between the two waters 

 was breached and filled and breached and filled again and again, and 

 the connexion too between Lake Lothing and Oulton Broad seems to have 

 been uncertain. That there was any way at all practicable for vessels along 

 this line in Roman times cannot be believed, as it would have rendered the 

 fortress useless, by allowing an entrance to the river far above it. The 

 south bank of Breydon, unlike its other margins, was not marshy, and 

 fairly high land can be traced along its full extent. Towards the north 

 of the Waveney it rises somewhat, and at the spot chosen for the fortress of 

 Gariannonum (Burgh Castle) ' it presents a high bank to the west with a 



Plan II. — Plan of Gariannonum (Burgh Castlb) 



Steep incline to the river, which flows at its foot with a broad strip of marsh 

 intervening (plan II). 



Like all Roman fortresses, at least in this country, all that remain 

 above ground are the walls of enceinte surrounding a space of quadrangular 

 shape, in this instance roughly 640 ft. long by 413 ft. wide. The thickness 

 of the walls is 9 ft., with a foundation 12 ft. thick ; each angle is rounded and 

 is buttressed by a solid round bastion. Two other bastions occur on the 

 east side, and one each on the north and south sides, these not being in the 

 centre of each side, but rather west of it. Each of the bastions has a hole in 

 the top 2 ft. deep by 2 ft. in diameter, possible indications of some sort of 

 turntable on which a small ballista could be planted. There is another 

 peculiarity respecting them. From their bases for 7 ft. up they are not 

 bonded into the wall, but from that point for the rest of the height, originally 



* l^crf. Arch. 1859, v, 126 et seq. 

 284 



