A CONTRIBUTION TO THE HISTORY OF DORCHESTER. 131 



THE EAST GATE OF THE ROMAN TOWN. 



In a paper on Roman fortifications (Transactions Vol. XII,, 

 p. 143) it was suggested that the Roman gateway in the east wall 

 of the town might have been at the end of Durngate-street, and 

 that if so a Roman road to the north would be right for it, 

 according to the precept of Vitruvius, who recommended this 

 position for the road in relation to the gate, because the 

 besiegers would then have to pass to the attack of the gateway 

 with their unshielded sides exposed to the weapons of the 

 enemy who defended the walls. Here the road has since been 

 found, and a portion of it broken up in laying gas mains. The 

 Roman road was cut across in two places, in front of the 

 Foundry, and further up, in Holloway, opposite the school. 

 The road was, therefore, considerably to the right of Durngate- 

 street, and the direction of it would have been altogether wrong 

 for the gate if it stood at the end of High-street, where, more- 

 over, it would have opened on a marsh, or, as Mr. Cunnington 

 affirms, a lake. 



THE NORMAN MINT. 



William the Conqueror confirmed Athelstan's grant to the 

 town of mints for the coining of money. There is quite a 

 romantic story connected with some of the coins struck at these 

 mints during the -reign of the Conqueror. 



It is as follows : On Sunday afternoon, June 3oth, 1833, four 

 boys, all under ten years of age, were playing marbles in a field 

 at Beaworth, when one of them discovered, in the track of a 

 waggon wheel, a piece of lead sticking up. On stooping to take 

 hold of it he discovered a small hole, into which he thrust his 

 hand, and brought out a number of coins. He and his com- 

 panions filled their pockets, and, as they scattered some of the 

 coins about the pathway and about the streets of the village, the 

 news of the find was soon spread throughout the neighbourhood, 

 and the villagers hastened to the place, where there was a regular 

 scramble for the coins. Some families secured a large number 

 of coins, others only a few, and there was in consequence so 

 much discontent on account of the unequal distribution of the 



