ROMANO-BRITISH BERKSHIRE 



The second group lies in the high ground of central Berk- 

 shire, where the bulk of the population must have been engaged in 

 pastoral pursuits. Remains of Roman buildings have been found in 

 the parishes of Lambourn, East Ilsley and Compton and there was a 

 group of villas in the neighbourhood of Hampstead Norris. From the 

 evidence which the remains of these villas afford the graziers here were 

 persons of wealth. Other villa remains have been discovered at Wool- 

 stone and Letcombe Regis and there are besides a few instances of 

 miscellaneous finds. But the distinguishing feature of this district is its 

 numerous camps. These, which were probably for the most part con- 

 structed at a date before the Roman period, bear witness in the form of 

 pottery, coins and other remains, to occupation during this time, 

 whether as human dwellings or merely as cattle-shelters it is difficult 

 to determine. It is probable that the supply of wool for the numerous 

 dyeworks at Calleva in Silchester was drawn from the Berkshire Downs. 



The third group, which provided for the needs of travellers and the 

 inhabitants of Silchester, is found in the neighbourhood of the two 

 Roman highroads which entered the county at its north-western and 

 south-western extremities and converged at Speen. Roman foundations 

 have been uncovered near Membury fort, where the parish of Lambourn 

 borders on Wiltshire, and finds of coins are recorded from one or two 

 spots near Ermine Street on its course from Baydonto Newbury. Remains 

 of more importance mark the line of the Antonine route from Pontes to 

 Calleva. Excavations, at Oakfield Park, about 3! miles from Silchester, 

 showed great quantities of coarse ware and calcined stone and seemed to 

 mark the site of a Roman pottery. Many other finds of pottery have 

 been made near the Roman highroad, and in some cases, as for example 

 the specimens from Rapley's Farm, described by Mr. Handasyd in 

 1783, the quality of the ware was good. Foundations, however, and 

 other indications of permanent occupation are not abundant here. 



THE ROADS 



Three of the routes of the ' Itinerarium Antonini ' pass through 

 Berkshire. 



I. Route from Isca (Caerleon-on-Usk) by Durocornovium (Ciren- 

 cester) to Calleva Atrebatum (Silchester). Durocornovium to Spins 

 (Speen), 15 miles; Spins to Calleva Atrebatum, 15 miles. The real 

 distance, however, from Cirencester to Speen, is not 1 5 but 34 miles. 

 The discrepancy may be explained by comparing the total distance 

 given in the Itinerary, 108 miles, with the sum of the separate distances 

 which amounts to only 90 miles. Apparently a station had dropped 

 out, and it has been suggested 1 that this was on Wanborough Plain, 

 1 5 miles from Speen, where there are Roman remains. 



II. Route from Isca by Aquae Sulis (Bath) and Cunetio (Marl- 

 borough) to Calleva. Cunetio to Spins 1 5 miles, Spins to Calleva 

 15 miles. 



1 Codrington, Roman Roads in Britain, 328. 

 199 



