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Coventina's Fountain at Procolitia. By the Rev. J. C. 

 Bruce, LL.D., F.S.A., &c. 



The most remarkable discovery that has been made of late 

 years on the line of the Eoman "Wall occurred last autumn at a 

 spot just outside the station of Procolitia, the modern Carraw- 

 burgh. As the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club have to-day- 

 visited the neighbourhood of this famous exploration, and some 

 of its members have been at the site, it is natural that they 

 should wish to be informed of all the circumstances connected 

 with it. I have been asked by our excellent secretary to under- 

 take this task. As a member of the Club of some years standing, 

 I feel that I ought not to refuse. One difficulty faces me. Mr 

 Clayton, the owner of the estate on which the discovery has been 

 made and of the treasures which have been produced ; by whose 

 orders and at whose expense the excavations were made ; who 

 has personally watched the operations from day to day ; who has 

 carefully investigated kindred discoveries in this and other lands ; 

 has himself learnedly discoursed upon the subject in two papers 

 read before the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. 

 These will shortly be published in the Archceologia JEliana, 

 accompanied by illustrations provided by bis liberality. Now, 

 it is impossible for me to traverse the ground before us without 

 trespassing somewhat upon Mr Clayton's manor. However, I 

 am sure he will forgive, and you will applaud me for doing so. 

 There are, moreover, some fragments of information which have 

 not yet been gathered up ; these I will endeavour to place before 

 you. 



Procolitia is the Eoman name of a stationary camp on the line 

 of Wall built by Hadrian between the estuary of the Tyne and 

 of the Solway. It is about 25 miles west of Newcastle. The 

 camp — for centuries a scene of busy life — is now a grass-grown 

 mound, depastured by sheep and oxen. 



Outside its western rampart is a depression in the ground 

 along which there formerly flowed a considerable stream. The 

 stream had its origin partly in the " day water" which in winter 

 and in wet seasons collects in its vicinity in considerable quan- 

 tities, but chiefly in a spring which formerly gushed from the 

 western bank of the valley both in summer and winter with con- 

 siderable force. When the Eomans occupied the station, the 



