EXPLAXATIOK OF THE PLATES. 163 



EXPLAlS^ATIOIs^ OF THE PLATES. 



PLATE V. 



General Plan of Site of Station. 



This Plan shows the mouth of the Tyiie, with the relative positions of 

 Tynemouth and South Shields. The foreshore, and lofty ground of the 

 Lawe, are plainly shown. The Eoman Station, untouched for centuries, 

 except by the making of the Ballast Railway, occupies a commanding posi- 

 tion. Though there were four gates to it, there appears to have been but 

 one road, that which crosses Baring Street at C, C. The grave yard, d, 

 where skeletons in graves, and ashes in urns, have been discovered, seems 

 to have been on one or both sides of the road, which, at or near the junction 

 of Ocean Road and Mile End Road, must have crossed the inlet from the 

 Mill Dam, which formed a subsidiary outlet of the River Tyne and rendered 

 the Lawe an island. When on the South of this Channel the road doubtless 

 parted, a branch going to Westoe, Harton, Cleadon, and Wearmouth, and 

 the main road, Wrekendyke, going to Wardley, Learn Lane, and Eighton. 

 The long " Low Street," along the shore of the River, was the site of me- 

 diaeval Shields, and contains at this day the oldest houses in the town. It 

 may have been a paved road in the time of the Romans, leading to a Ferry 

 to North Shields. 



PLATE VL 



Forum. 



The immediate foreground is unexcavated. To the right are seen the 

 massive stones forming the outer margin of the Forum. The deep depres- 

 sions caused by innumerable footsteps are very visible in a stone right in 

 front. Just behind is a gap, whence a huge stone had been taken in early 

 times. Behind that is seen the Channel, which carried off the rain from the 

 footpaths. Its continuation is seen turning the angle at the right hand edge 

 of the Plate. Filling the middle of the plate is the prostrate wall, blown 

 down in some great gale from its foundations, which are seen extending in 

 a long line on the left of the Plate. The entrance to the Praitorium is about 

 where the man with the pickaxe in his hand is standing, and on that man's 

 left is seen a large extent of the original pavement of the Forum, and beyond 

 that again the table-altar, and the remains of its encompassing wall. The 

 depth of the Remains below the present surface of the ground is shown by 

 the high bank of unexcavated earth beliiud the table-altar. 



