HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. 6 



A seeond Watling-street, also of Roman origin, enters Stafford- 

 shire on the north at Rudge-heath, and runs first south and then 

 south-west by the two New Inns across the forest of Kinver to Stour- 

 ton, and on to Stourbridge-heath, where it enters Worcestershire ; 

 but it does not appear whether this road began at Wroxeter or 

 Chester : it was probably made by the Romans under Agricola, when 

 he lay at Chester, or perhaps by Vespasian, when he lay at 

 Wroxeter.* 



There are two Roman Camps upon this road. One of them, and 

 the largest, occupying an area of twenty-five acres, is situated 

 on a hill at Chesterton; the other is on a fiat just under Ashwood 

 Lodge, near Green's-forge : they are both square, very perfect, and 

 lie on the south-east side of the road. 



Chesterton Camp is situated on a hill about eleven miles from 

 Wellington, on the old Watling-street, and is perhaps as complete a 

 Roman camp as any on the Island : a brook runs close under it on 

 the south and south-west, on which sides the face of a perpendicular 

 rock renders it inaccessible except at the gateway, where a cut 

 has been made for the horse to go to water, and the passage of 

 troops from the road, which is two or three hundred yards distant : 

 the gateways are yet visible, and the bank is generally called the 

 W'alls of Chesterton. This place, though now included in Shrop- 

 shire* is within the ancient limits of this county. f 



It is upon record, that Ostorius fortified the rivers Sabrina and 

 Antona before he marched against the Brigantes: these rivers are 

 supposed by some writers to have been the Severn and Avon, and 

 by others the Avon and Tern, which latter river rises at Maer, in 



* This road, I presume, crossed the Street-way at the place called the Cock 

 at Watling-street, which therefore gave this name to both roads : part of it 

 goes over a fiat called the Wihners or Wild-moors, and being subject to inun- 

 dations, is willi difficulty traversed in winter. It is now the line of road from 

 Chester or Shrewsbury to Bath and Bristol. 



+ Frontinus says-, the Romans learnt the art of laying out a camp from that 

 of Pyrrhas King of EpSris, which fell into their hands j that they mride great 

 improvements upon his plan ; and that whenever a new camp was to be formed, 

 it was always constructed uppn one uniform plan, and proportioned to the num- 

 ber of soldiers intended to occupy it. The tent of the commanding officer 

 was always in the centre, and a spacious area left about it, where rewards 

 ami punishments were publicly distributed : this tent was called Praeto- 

 ri.nn, it being at first set apart for the Prrelor. In Britain the Romans had 

 their summer and winter camps : the former in high and airy situations, the 

 latter in low and wanner parts of the country ; they were laid out in a kind of 

 streets, and horse aad foot were so disposed as not to iutertere or incommode 

 each other. 



