218 Notes on a Roman Building, and Interments. 



a fine view of the surrounding country, especially the high ridge of 

 downs upon which the camps of Liddington and Barhury are so 

 conspicuous. 



It will he noticed from the plan that the huilding was prohahly 

 a farm-house, consisting of a large central court around which 

 were ranged the living-rooms and store-houses. Whether the large 

 central space was ever covered in or not must remain douhtful ; as 

 during the excavation things were found so mixed up that it was 

 almost impossible to ascertain anything with certainty. At some 

 time the building was evidently destroyed by fire, and at a later 

 time the remains were carted away, leaving nothing except the 

 foundations and such domestic rubbish as would naturally ac- 

 cumulate around a country house. That the walls were of great 

 strength is proved by that remaining (in some places 3ft. in depth 

 below the surface), which is 2ft. to 3ft. thick in all the outside 

 parts. The construction is peculiar in the fact that the lower 

 layers of stones were placed edgeways in large masses of mortar 

 which has retained its hardness even to the present day, the whole 

 being one solid mass, requiring great exertion on the part of the 

 workmen to break it up. 



On reference to the plan it will be seen that the only part yet 

 examined consists of four divisions. The largest space, probably, 

 as has been said, an open court, is 62ft. long x 36ft. wide. When 

 opened it contained, under the original floor- level on the north 

 side, a small square hypocaust (?) paved with small tiles bearing a 

 crossed pattern of indented lines, and small stone flags, all of 

 which showed signs of intense heat. Some quite 6in. thick were 

 red and cracked right through. The entrance to this chamber was 

 by a long and very narrow passage on the east side, which was 

 choked up with ashes. At the south end of the large court, close 

 under the wall, was the skeleton of a young person deposited in a 

 doubled-up position, perhaps coeval with the dismantling of the 

 building. Amongst the debris of this part was a large vase of 

 black Upchurch ware, together with a quantity of other pottery, 

 several pieces of which are of special interest, one beautifully-shaped 

 vase having been unfortunately smashed by a fall of stones. There 



