A HISTORY OF BEDFORDSHIRE 



this part of it is not mentioned, in the ' Itinerary of Antoninus,' and it is 

 generally considered to be pre-Rotnan in date. It enters the county from 

 Buckinghamshire a few miles south-west of Dunstable, crosses the Wathng 

 Street at Dunstable, and passes on to Baldock in Hertfordshire." 



There is another Roman road which, according to Clutterbuck, is known 

 as the White Way, and which he suggests came from the station of Ad 

 Pontes on the Thames, thence to Watford and Verulamium, and so through 

 Stevenage to Baldock in Hertfordshire." It enters the county at Stotfold and 

 runs in a straight line to Biggleswade, and from thence through Sandy, Girt- 

 ford, Tempsford, Langford, and Little Barford on to Godmanchester, where 

 it joins the Ermine Street." 



Suggested Roman roads ran, one from Icknield Street a little east of 

 Dunstable to Houghton Regis, thence by Toddington and Ampthill to 

 Bedford ; another from Stotfold, on the road from Baldock to Godmanchester, 

 to ShefFord ; and another from Hitchin, in Hertfordshire, to ShefFord, thence 

 to Bedford and on to Irchester in Northamptonshire. It is possible, and 

 perhaps probable, that such roads existed, but the evidence of their existence 

 is based only on such probability. 



INDEX 



Arlesey. — A great quantity of Samian ware was found here, and the following potters' marks are 

 on pieces in the possession of Mr. W. Ransom, F.S.A. : — 



First century : rvfvs f. ; primvl ; of . aqvitni ; patric ; of . severi (two specimens) ; 



FELIX F ; of . MONTC ; ALBINVS FE ; OF . FEICIS ; PRIMA MA ; OF . PARC ; FELICION ; OF . PASSI ; 

 PASSEN. 



Second century : ciwT . . v . . geni ; illiomiri ; avcella f. ; aventini m ; tavriani ; 

 Basvs FC {Be/sus fee.) ; <ECVIA {Pecu/iaris). 



Uncertain date : iVENis FEC ; magni m ; crispi ; alvin m ; priscvs f. ; pinnae m. 

 Germany second century : [r]egini m ; domitianvs ; liltani m. 



The following pieces of pottery were found here and are also in Mr. Ransom's collection : 

 A bowl with scroll decorations, and the name of the potter bvtrio in relief (about a.d. I20), 

 and a similar bowl with name of criciro, backwards, scratched in the mould in cursive characters ; 

 a jar of yellow glazed ware, with pattern of raised loops in vertical rows ; a jar of black ware 

 with ' thumb marks ' and hatched patterns (second century) ; a jar of castor ware with scrolls 

 in thick yellow paint ; a jar of Upchurch ware with arcading formed by rows of small knobs ; 

 and part of an ornamented red ware bowl, which was found in the brickfields. 

 AsTwiCK. — Ten Samian bowls were found here, in perfect condition. The largest (see pi. i, 

 highest in centre of group) is 9 in. in diameter, 5 in. high, and has a design of dolphins in 

 medallions, divided by scrolls, with the potter's name doiiccvs incised on a raised tablet. 

 The other bowls shown on the plate are all plain. To the left of the bowl just men- 

 tioned are two bowls and a dish. The highest, 4 in. in diameter at the top, i^in. high, 

 with potter's name cavpirra. The next below to the left, 5^ in. in diameter at the top, 

 3 in, high, potter's name sacrilli m. The dish below to the left 7^ in. in diameter, 



3 in. high, potter's mark macrini of. On the same level to the right a small bowl 



4 in. in diameter, 2 in. high, potter's mark avgella f. The large dish in the centre 

 below the bowl first mentioned, is 10 in. in diameter, 2^ in. deep, without a potter's mark. 

 To the right side of the large bowl at the top of the group are also two smaller bowls and 

 a dish. The highest, a small one, 4 in. in diameter, 2 in. high, potter's mark ca . . . Ni. 

 The one below to the right, 5 J in. in diameter, 3 in. high, potter's mark materni m. The 

 dish is 6 in. in diameter, 3 in. high, with potter's mark doiiccvs m. Between that and 

 the centre dish on the same level is another small bowl, 4 in. in diameter, 2 in. high, 

 potter's mark avgella f. All the marks are Gaulish, and date from a.d. 100-20 [Trans. 

 Herts. Nat. Hist. Soc. iv, 40]. Some iron weapons were also discovered, an unusually broad 



" Codrington, op. cit. 299, 239 ; Jrei. Joum. xxxix, 258. 



" Sir John Evans, Jrch. Surv. of Herts. (Soc. Antiq.), 6. 



" Guest, Arch. Joum. xiv, 99 ; Codrington, Roman Roads in Britain. 135. 



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