RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES IN CORNWALL. 257 



Sir John has shewn that the present road from the north-east 

 is the same as the ancient main road, coming down from Stratton, 

 along the north coast, which passing through Endellion and by 

 Boropark (perhaps, barrow or Bury-park,) and Plain Street, 

 entered St. Minver, and proceeded in the direction of Pentire- 

 On reaching that promontory it could go no further, except by 

 turning or doubling about. It seems to have terminated amid 

 surrounding intrenchments, friendly or hostile. The northern 

 projection of the promontory, looking towards Tintagel (across 

 8^ miles of Bay), is the fortified headland called the Rumps,* 

 [Romans' Hold ?] with triple mounds and ditches straight across 

 its neck. Close by, at Trenant, near Pentire Glaze, we are told,f 

 is another ancient triple earth- work ; and on the adjoining high 

 ground I notice Konderkep and Carruan. Both of these names 

 may contain, in their derivations, some allusion to the confluent 

 brooks below (dour and rouan, signifying water and streams), 

 but it is also to be observed that, according to Dr. Borlase and 

 Polwhele, Caer-ruan would as plainly signify " Roman Camp " as 

 Port of the rivers. This is a singular coincidence, if nothing 

 more, since those writers knew not that their explanations of 

 terms would be applied to a spot here, close to a Roman station. 

 No one hitherto seems to have seen that the meaning of the 

 Rumps and Carruan might be indicative that this was a Roman 

 site. 



We have stated that the great main road from Stratton 

 ended on this Pentire promontory. The Roman station itself (a 

 village ?) was further to the south. 



It was reached, Maclean says, by a branch road, which led 

 off towards it about a mile west of the spot called Plain Street. 



* For the derivation of these words, see the following : — 



Tiz-Rum, — Polk or men of Rome, Romans. 



Reven-gour, Reveneur, Rouan, — Roman man, Roman. 



Ruan, — Rome ; the Irish is Romh ; the Gaelic, Riomh ; all derived 

 from the Latin, Roma, Romanus-a-um, &c. (Dr. Borlase, Polwhele, Pryce, 

 Williams, Bannister, and Dr. F. W. P. Jago). 



Dr. Bannister gives, " Carruan, Rocky-river or Castle on the River, 

 or Ruan, — Roman." 



" Rumped up" is a Cornish phrase meaning roughed up, cast up into 

 ridges or in a heap ; hump-backed, &c; therefore perhaps the series of 

 humps or mounds here may have caused the place to be called the Rumps, 

 t " History of Cornwall " (Lake, Truro), Vol. 3, p. 371. 



