Particularly in regard to its influence on the Comity of Wilts. 193 



the name Nidum occurs, showing that it is really in quite a different 

 district. It is, in fact, probably the same as Neath, in South Wales. 

 I should suggest that this xv is a mistake for xlv or some such 

 number, the Roman mile being, as is generally supposed, about 

 one hundred and forty yards shorter than the English. This road, 

 which must have followed the line of the one still in use, either 

 exactly or very nearly, passes first through Cricklade. I presume 

 that Latton, at which place a small hoard of fifty-two coins and 

 some remarkably fresh iron instruments were found by Professor J. 

 Buckman about LS66, lies on the same road. Mr. Buckman describes 

 it as about six miles south of Cirencester, and on the road to Crick- 

 lade {Wilts Arch. Mag., ix., pp. 232—7, pub. 1866), though he 

 connects its Church with the Roman road from Cirencester to Bath, 

 probably by a slip. Next comes Stratton St. Margaret, like other 

 Strattons bearing witness by its name to its position on the ancient 

 highway. The road then passes Wanborough, famous, as you know 

 for great battles supposed to have been fought there in the Saxon 

 period, particularly for one in 591, in which Ceawlin, the West 

 Saxon conqueror, was defeated by his nephew, Ceolric, in league 

 with the Britons. From the additions to Camden's Britannia (vol. 

 1, ed. Gough, p. 139, 1806), I learn that a large quantity of Roman 

 coins were found here in the year 168 — . There can be little doubt 

 that the name is contracted from Wodensburgh, just as Wansdyke 

 from Wodensdyke. From Wanborough the road passes through 

 Baydon into Berkshire. Our Secretary has figured an ampulla) 

 found at Botley Copse, near Baydon (Smith's British and Roman 

 Antiquities, p. 30). Another Roman road is said to have led from 

 a point near Wanborough to Old Sarum, and, indeed this point is 

 said to have been a meeting-place of several such roads (Murray's 

 Handbook to Wilts, p. 29), but I am not aware of the line which 

 the Sarum road took, nor is it mentioned in the Itinerary. The 

 road to Winchester will be mentioned below. 



(2) The next road in the Itinerary lies between the same terminal 

 stations Isca and Calleva, but takes the shorter route by ferry 

 (Trajectus) over the Bristol Channel through Bath (Aquae Solis). 

 This road had two stations in this county, Verlueio and Cunetio— 



