322 PHILOSOPHICAL TKANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1759. 



Powis's park by Ludlow, or Lord Ducie's vast chestnut at Tortworth, in Glou- 

 cestershire, which I measured 46-i- feet in circumference at near 6 feet from the 

 ground. 



///. Of some Antiquities found in Cornwall. By the Rev, William Borlase, 



M.A., F.R.S. p. 13. 



In the year 1756 a farmer at Bossens, in the parish of St. Erth, driving his 

 oxen from the field, perceived the foot of one of them to sink a little deeper 

 than ordinary into the earth at a, fig. 1, pi. 13. Curiosity, and the hopes of 

 treasure, led him soon after to search the place ; where was soon discovered a 

 perpendicular pit, circular of 1^ feet diameter. Digging to the depth of 18 

 feet, there was found a Roman patera fig. 1 and 1 : about 6 feet deeper, the jug, 

 fig. 3 : near by, among the rubbish, the stone, fig. 4 ; a small millstone, about 

 18 inches diameter : then another patera, with two handles, in other particulars 

 of the shape and size, as fig. 2, but unfortunately mislaid, and not now to be 

 found. Intermixed with these were found fragments of horns, bones of several 

 sizes, half-burnt sticks, and many pieces of leather, seemingly shreds of worn- 

 out shoes. Having sunk to the depth of 36 feet, they found the bottom of 

 the pit concave, like that of a dish or bowl. There was a sensible moisture, and 

 mostly wet clay, in all parts of the pit. On each side there were holes at due 

 distances, capable of admitting a human foot, by which persons might descend 

 and ascend. There is no doubt but this work nmst have been intended for a 

 well : but a pit so deep, and of such narrow dimensions, must have been sunk 

 through a stony ground with much difficulty, and with tools very different from 

 those now in use. 



Groing to the spot on the 22d of May, Mr. B. found, on the higher part of 

 the tenement, in a field called the Rounds, the remains of a fort : the length of 

 it, bearing nearly north and south, was 1 52 feet ; the breadth, from east to 

 west, about 1 36 feet. The foss on the outside was still discoverable ; the walls 

 dismantled, but sufficient remains to show, that the work was rectilinear, with 

 the angles rounded off; a manner of fortifying which the Romans were gene 

 rally fond of, as may be seen by their stations per lineam valli (Horsley Britannia 

 Romana, p. 113, and many other places.) At the north corner, b, there was 

 an additional building, projecting outwards beyond the rampart, about 30 feet 

 long, not quite so wide : at the south angle at d there are the signs of a build- 

 ing of like kind : these were the procestria of the fort. The shape and size of 

 the work, as it stands at present, may be seen in the drawings annexed, fig. 8. 



On examining the rubbish near the pit, he found the cut stone, fig. 5, part 

 of a large stone vase, and part of an earthen sepulchral urn : he found also 

 some fragments of leather : a 1 which, with what was found before, are briefly 

 described below. 



