OXFORDSHIRE. 
there are numerous barrows and other monuments here, 
this ae Contiguous to it is a large long barrow, fuppofed to 
contain the afhes of an arch-druid; and near it is a {quare 
entrenchment, with a double ditch and vallum, having fome 
f{tone-work in ite interior. Thefe Dr. Stukeley 
Several other barrows, w ith 
He Serine See AE 
o the continued aay which exilted between the 
inhabitarts oof this diftri€& and the Romans, the relics of 
Roman military poffeffion are few. No doubt, however, 
that celebrated people had feveral ftations in Oxfordthire, 
of which the principal was at Aldchefter or Alcefter. Dor- 
chefter and Swalcliff are likewife fuppofed aa have been 
Roman towns, or pofts, of confiderable import Coins 
of the emperors, and fragments of teffellated pavement, are 
frequently dug up, au 
funeral mounds difperfed throughout the county, which are 
thefe laft, the moft re- 
Id Akeman road, and which is conjetured by Dr. Plot to 
be the fepulchre of fome diftinguifhed leader, on account of 
height and circumference. Of the four prin- 
cipal Roman roads interfeGting the ifland, one only paffes 
through Oxfordfhire. poe is the Iken ‘ld ftreet, which 
enters - county at the of Goring, and crofles it in 
a direGtion from fouth- welt . north-eaft by If{pden, Ewelm, 
Watlington, and ete 7 Chinnor, where it enters Buck- 
inghambhire. , however, are abundant. The 
Akeman-ftreet ftretches itllé throughout the broadeft part 
a 
Between Mongewell and Nuffield is a vallum, or high ridge- 
way, called Grimes-dyke, or Devil’s-ditch, alfo aaa by 
D:. Plot among the Roman vicinal ways, but we a e in- 
clined to refer 1t to a more remote eva. This at knen: 
is fill very high, and has in fome places a fingle, and in 
others a double agger. 
e moft eminent places in the county, during the govern- 
ment of the Saxons and Danes, were Banbury, Benfington, 
Birencefter or Bicefter, Burford, Thame, Chipping-Norton, 
The two laf were royal 
encampments may likewife be aS ithin the limits of this 
ca particularly at Caitleton, Adwell, and Chipping- 
orto 
_A 
‘ endowed with 
After the Conqveft, king William ordered a number of 
caftles to he ereéted in this county, as in moft others in 
England, with the view of enfuring the fabmiffion of his new 
fubjects. Of thefe ee the principal in Oxfordfhire | 
mpton, Banbury, Deddington, 
Ardley, and Mildlecon all a rd were places of great 
ftrength, and ftill retain marks of their former extent and 
confequence as military pofitions. w fortifications of 
a much later period are alfo met with in different diftri&ts of 
the county. 
As a fubje& of prea we fhall conclude this ar- 
ticle with a fhort lift of the various religious houfes which 
have exifted in Oxfordfhire, whether before or fince the 
arrival of the Normans, excepting only thofe already men- 
tioned in our defcription of Oxford. They are as fol- 
ws 
° 
college at peal dedicated to St. Mary, and 
8/. 6s. per annum. 
n hofpital in ie fame town, dedicated to St. John, 
for the reception of lepers. 
Ciftercian aad at Bruerne, founded by Nicholas 
Baflet, A.D, 11 
4. Amonaftery for Auftin canons at oe peas by 
Gilbert Baflet, baron of Hedingdon, . 11 
5 An hofpital, at the fame place, "founde SAD. 1355 
oo hofpital, or priory, at Burford, dedicated to St. 
> 
SO 
ea “An Auttin cell to the abbey of Nottely, at Caverfham. 
8. An alien priory, - — ton, cell to the abbey of St. 
Ebrulf at Utica, i in Nor 
a." 
Leonard. It w 
to. An alien on of Black monks - og 
the abbey of the Hol Gian! at dai in Neceanay: It 
“ sare about the year 1100 
a De An hofpital at Caudach, founded for fick brethren, 
1248. 
. The cathedral church at Dorchefter, was eftablifhed 
sou the esl 635, by B t fee. 
. An abbey for black canons of the order of St. 
aie, at ke fame place, founded by Alexander, bifhop of 
Lincoln, 1140. 
14. A Benediétine abbey at Eyntham, built and endowed 
by Ailmer, earl of Cornwall, before A.D. 100 eftored 
by Robert Blcet, bifhop of Lincoln, in ee reign of 
Henry I. 
15. Anhofpital at Ewelme, founded and endowed by Wil- 
liam de la Pole, earl of Suffolk, for two chaplains and thir- 
teen poor men. » 1437- 
16. A Benedictine nunnery at Godftow, built A. D. 11 38, 
by Editha or Ediva, a religious aoa affifted by the 
contributions of other pious perfons. The confecration of 
this abbey was performed in the erent of king Stephens his 
queen, and a vaft concourfe of prelates and nobility. The 
celebrated Rofamund Clifford, miftrefs to Henry II. was 
buried here 
17. A priory of nuns . a order of St. Auftin, at Go- 
ring, founded temp. Hen 
18. A houfe for fifters . Ge order of St. John of Jeru- 
falem, at ar aaa founded foon after the Conqueft ; but re- 
moved in ii8 
1g. A priory of Benediétine nuns at Littlemore, founded 
temp. Hen. 11. Suppreffed and given to cardipal Wol- 
fey, A. D. 1524. 
20. An alien priory of Benedictines at Minfter Lovel, a 
cell to the abbey of St. Mary de Ibreio, or — 
. A Bene- 
