Jtcte 0tt a fl0man fUmb from fablmrp to thz 

 f ounbarp war 



By J. C. MANSEL-PLBYDBLL, Esq., 

 P.L.S., P.G.S. 



NTIL the autumn of 1886, the number of Roman 

 roads of any importance known to lie within the 

 county boundary were the Via Iceniana which 

 joins London with Exeter, commencing at a road 

 from Dorchester which divides into two branches 

 y - - near Frampton, one in the direction of Crewkerne, 



the other in the direction of Ilchester. There are also two vicinal 

 roads, one from Dorchester to Preston, the other from near Badbury 

 Camp to Ham worthy, on the Poole estuary ; both are in connection 

 with the Via Iceniana. We are indebted to the Rev. Crossby 

 Saunders for the discovery of a sixth road, whose construction, 

 form, and elevation is not inferior to the Via Iceniana. The 

 removal of flint from a field at Tarrant Hinton by the district road 

 surveyor was the cause of the discovery. Mr. Saunders kindly 

 invited me, as President of the Field Club, to examine the material 

 as it lay exposed. I availed myself of the invitation, and under 

 the guidance of his son, Mr. W. C. Saunders, I found myself in 

 the presence of a slightly elevated artificial structure of various 

 sized flints, which continued through two adjoining fields in a 

 south-westerly direction. General Pitt-Rivers, who accompanu d 

 me on a subsequent visit, was equally assured of its Roman 



