322 Recent Wiltshire Books, Pamphlets, and Articles. 



Long and appreciative review by E.D.G. in Wiltshire Advertiser, 

 June 2nd. 



For the use of the blocks given here the Editor is indebted to the 

 kindness of Mr. R. S. Heath. "With the exception of the illustration of 

 Avebury they are of subjects which have not before been illustrated. 



Roman RoadS in Britain, by Thomas Codrington, M. Inst. C.E., 

 F.G.S., with a large chart of the Roman roads and small maps in the 

 text. S.P.C.K. 1903. 6f X 4^. Pp. iv. 392. Price 5s. nett. 



In the introduction the author describes the mode of construction of 

 the Roman roads in Britain and then gives some account of the chief 

 ancient authorities upon them: — The Itinerary of Antonine, and its 

 various editions ; the Tabula Peutingeriana ; the Notitia ; and the 

 spurious Itinerary of Richard of Cirencester, first printed by Stukeley 

 in 1757, and accepted by him, and by Gough and Sir R. C. Hoare as 

 genuine. This last, although its spuriousness was fully demonstrated 

 by Prof. Mayor, in 1869, continues to influence the literature of the 

 Roman roads, and in the new Ordnance maps names of stations have 

 been entered which never existed except in Bertram's imagination. — 

 Indeed Mr. Codrington notes that the old Ordnance maps in this respect 

 are more trustworthy than the new, which often mark Roman roads for 

 which there is " little or no evidence or authority." 



The author does not profess to mention all the remains of Roman 

 roads which are known. He follows the lines of the principal roads, and 

 of their well-ascertained branches, through the country, describing their 

 course in most cases with considerable minuteness, showing a wide 

 personal acquaintance with the various localities, as well as diligent 

 research in the literature of the subject. 



Of the roads which enter Wiltshire, The Foss Way " is remarkable for 

 its direct course. From Lincoln, to the south-western traces of it beyond 

 South Petherton, in Somerset, no part is more than six miles away from 

 a straight line about 182 miles long." — "From four miles south of 

 Cirencester there is a straight course pointing to Bath for 17 miles, and 

 then a turn keeps the road on high ground till it descends from Banner 

 Down to join another Roman road before reaching Bath." " Between 

 Cirencester and Bath, 29 miles, there is not a village on it, and for long 

 distances it is a farm road or grass-grown." Its course through Wiltshire 

 is thus described : — " From Jackments Bottom onwards the Foss Road 

 is now a green road for 10 miles . . . It is 20 yards wide between 

 the fence walls for long lengths. Near Culkerton Down Wood there is 

 an embanked ridge five or six yards wide, and raised three, four, or five 

 feet, the ridge sloping about one in five, or one in six . . . There is 

 no trace of a paving or a stoned surface where the ridge is deeply cut 

 into by cart ruts. Further on the road is wide in places with high 

 hedges and timber trees shading it, and in other places it has been 

 narrowed, and is overgrown with bushes, and there is little or no trace 

 of a ridge. In the valley of the Anton at White Walls, about two-and- 

 a-half miles west of Malmesbury, are the Roman remains to which the 



