HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE 7 



distance of this place from Wroxeter, which is only eight miles, and 

 the Itinerary distance is eleven ; this induced Horsley to fix upon 

 a spot opposite Sheriff Hales for the site of Uxacona, which hav- 

 ing carried him three miles too much to the east, he in conse- 

 quence placed Pennocrucium at Penkridge. To obviate this objec- 

 tion a thought luckily occurred, confirmed since by weighty argu- 

 ments, that the present road from Watling-street turnpike to Wrox- 

 eter was only a via vicinalis, and that the grand military road 

 turned off at Watling-street gate to the left, towards Little Wenlock, 

 in order to maintain the high ground on the south side of the Wrekin, 

 and at length fell into the Roman road leading from Wroxeter to 

 Worcester, a few miles short of Wroxeter : this course reconciles 

 the site of Ocon-yate to the Itinerary distance, and removes every 

 difficulty. In the present road between Watling-street and Wrox- 

 eter there was formerly a morass, which no carriage could without 

 difficulty pass even at midsummer. My friend, Mr. Pennant, con- 

 curred with me in opinion, that a ruin which we both saw at Ocon- 

 yate many years ago, was the remains of a Roman hypocaust. 

 Ocon-yate being then fixed on as the site of Uxacona, the Itinerary 

 distance of twelve miles brings us precisely to Stretton, where I 

 have discovered a remarkable eminence, called Roley-hill, with a 

 gentle declivity to the meadows on the river Penk, which has the 

 conveniency of a ford in this part. This eminence occupies 

 about five acres, and is crowned with a tumulus, which seems to 

 have served for an exploratory mount: it is scarcely one mile from 

 Street-way." 



Dr. Plot was likewise of opinion that Stretton was the site of 

 Pennocrucium ; and some Roman vestiges have been found there 

 since his time, viz. a celt, and the brass head of the bolt of a 

 catapulta. 



The Romans occupied this country upwards of four hundred years. 

 The Britons, in course of time, became reconciled to their conque- 

 rors, were taken into their service, and made their best soldiers : 

 they intermarried, and by degrees became one people. 



The SAXONS first arrived in Britain in the year 449, during the 

 joint reign of the Emperors Martian and Valentinian ; and about 

 ten years afterwards, (according to the Saxon annals) the Roman 

 soldiers were ordered to leave the Island ; but it was not till some 

 years afterwards that they finally quitted it, when they were ac- 

 companied by nearly all the British youth that were capable of bear- 

 ing arms : it was at this period that the Romans collected arid 



