THE FIRST WINTER MEETING. XXXV. 



of his remarks he incidentally noticed, but did not dwell, as the 

 importance of the subject deserves, upon, the noteworthy results 

 ot his excavations on Maiden Castle in 1882 and following 

 years. A note is, therefore, added thereon, illustrated by a 

 map of the earthwork showing a plan of the Roman founda- 

 tions which he discovered there. This, however, is done in 

 the hope that he will by no means be thereby hindered from 

 giving us a long-desired and full account of this important work 

 of his. 



In several 3'ears IMr. Cunnington had digging carried on at a 

 spot in the eastern division of Maiden Castle, marked on the 

 plan by a star. The spot turned out to be the site of a sub- 

 stantial, extra strongly roofed, highly adorned, and long occupied 

 Roman building of considerable size."^' How do we know this ? 

 The note of things found in the digging will answer the question, 

 all of which, except of course the foundations, may be seen in 

 the County Museum. 



Foundations. — They were of stone and well constructed. 



Roof. — Both stone and pottery tiles were found. Two speci- 

 mens of the latter are very interesting as showing the mode of 

 laying the tegulse and imbrices far better than can be seen in 

 books. More than this they witness to the use of a third sort 

 of tile, a quite flat one, which, as far as we know, is not men- 

 tioned as so used by writers on Roman building. This tile lay 

 on the flat part of the tegula, between imbrex and imbrex. This 

 triple roof must have been weighty indeed, and tells plainly of 

 substantial walls and timbers to carry it. 



Adornment. — Many fragments of wall plaster with patterns of 

 green, red, and other bright colours show this. There is, too, a 

 bit of tessellated floor of good quality, though of simple design 



*NOTE. — The foundations which were first uncovered Aug. 20 — 25, 1882, were 

 covered up again, but the following ujeasurements will shew the site of them ; the 

 end of the inner wall as marked on the plan is 165 feet from the vallum ; the S.E. 

 corner of the outer wall in a line with the longer side is 549 feet from the 

 vallum. 



