138 ox ROMAN KE3JAIXS AT SOUIH SHIJJLDS, 



three sides, was built a dry stone wall ; the fourth side, the wes- 

 tern, being left open, and the western ends of the north and south 

 walls being (as builders say) returned. What was the use or pur- 

 pose of this erection it would be interesting to discover. I have 

 called it a table-altar, and that appears to be its most probable 

 character. At the same time I do not think the upper stone bore 

 any marks of blood ever having been shed or placed upon it. I 

 cannot but think, however, that it was the erection of a heathen 

 people, either Saxons or Danes, after the expulsion or subjugation 

 of the Christian Eoman-Biitons. 



The other peculiar erection is a semi-circular wall, or bench, 

 near the western rampart, also facing the west. This spot ap- 

 pears to have been designed for judicial proceedings. That the 

 various '* Lawes" of Durham and Northumberland were used as 

 places of assemblies, and for holding of courts, there seems to be 

 some evidence, and certainly the ''Tors" of Devonshire and 

 Cornwall were scenes of such gatherings till very recent times. 

 This spot appears to me to have borne this character. But the 

 " Lawe" cannot long have been put to these religious or judicial 

 purposes. A time soon came when superstition threw a preserving 

 shield around it. Formed only of loose, unmortared stones, these 

 scattered walls, this table-altar, and rude semi-circle, were left 

 untouched for centuries, till the mould of ages grew around them, 

 and gently buried them in its fruitful lap ; then, returning know- 

 ledge chased away superstitious terrors, and the builders of me- 

 diaeval Shields, by the river's bank, sought for stones among the 

 decaying ramparts and mouldering walls of the ancient city ; 

 and then, wlieii all above tlie new surface of the earth had dis- 

 appeared, the plough came upon the scene, and cora grew where 

 once Tunnocclum, or, if the claim to that appellation be disputed, 

 Caer Urfa, was. 



I have said tliat no Saxon coins to my knowledge have been 

 found, nor liavc any mediaeval ones ; but a good many of later 

 date, beginning with Philip and Mary, have been. 



The Buiying ground of the Station was to tlic south-west, pro- 

 bably stretching along each side of the great road leading from 

 the fortress in that direction. The southern side only has thus 



