Avchceologia. 375 



importance under the Anglo Saxons, who called it Ythan-ceaster. evi- 

 dently a mere corruption of OtlwncB castrum. When, in 653, St. 

 Cedd preached the Gospel among the East Saxons, he was espe- 

 cially successful in this " city " (civitas is the word used by Bede), 

 and built a church in it. Alone: this coast, the sea-line has under- 

 gone great alteration since the time of the Romans, and steps have 

 been taken recently to reclaim a portion of the coast. In the course of 

 these works, extensive remains of buildings have been found, pre- 

 senting all the well-known characteristics of Roman masonry, which, 

 there can be no doubt, are remains of the ancient Othona. The 

 walls are massive, and of solid masonry, consisting of regular layers 

 of ashlar, with the well-known rows of bonding- tiles. In the course 

 of the excavations to bring these walls into view, Roman coins, 

 chiefly of the Constantine family, Samian ware, and other descrip- 

 tions of Roman pottery, glass beads, and other objects belonging 

 to the Roman period, were found, but no object of any very great 

 interest. 



All who are acquainted with the interesting old town of Leices- 

 ter, will remember that fine mass of Roman masonry, known by the 

 name of the Jewry Wall, the only fragment of the Roman town of 

 Rata3 now standing above ground. It consists of a long line of wall 

 supported by a series of arches, so peculiar in its character, that many 

 contradictory opinions have been held as to the nature of the build- 

 ing of which it originally formed a part. About a year and a half 

 ago, some slight excavations were made which seemed to show that 

 some of these opinions were without foundation, but threw no fur- 

 ther light on the subject. More extensive excavations are now 

 making under the directions of a Committee of the Leicestershire 

 Architectural and Archaeological Society. Already a tesselated 

 pavement has been discovered at the northern extremity of the 

 great wall, with a smaller wall running in continuation of that wall, 

 but no buildings have been traced to the eastward of the great wall 

 towards the church, the eastern side being that supported by the 

 arches. We hope to be able on a future occasion to give a more 

 complete account of the result of these excavations. It is proposed 

 to uncover and expose to view the piers and arches down to the 

 original level, and, after it has been permanently cleared from the 

 rubbish, the wall will be protected by a pallisading. 



We are also able to announce that excavations are in progress 

 on the site of Silchester in Hampshire, the Roman Calleva, at the 

 expense of the proprietor of the land, the Duke of Wellington. 

 The Roman city was of very great extent, and many objects of in- 

 terest have been found here at different times. It is little more 

 than a fortnight since the present excavations have commenced, and 

 little has yet been found except foundations of buildings and coins, 

 but much is to be hoped. 



To turn from these grand memorials of the Roman occupation 

 of our island, we may notice the announcement, in the columns of the 

 Scotsman, of the discovery of the remains of an ancient British town 

 on the western side of Craigiehill, on the Linlithgow side of the 

 Almond river. Many years ago, when cutting a road through Craigie- 



