THE ROMAN WALL IN NORTH BRITAIN. 



267 



Wall was splendidly constructed. Their cement was probably 

 equal to, if not much better than, any our engineers could make. 



The lecturer on p. 256 calls the Queen of the Iceni Boadicea, but is 

 not the form Boudicca (from a root meaning victory) to be 

 preferred ? 



At the bottom of p. 257, Old Watling Way is mentioned as crossing 

 the Wall, and there was also another principal road crossing it, much 

 more to the west, viz., the Maiden Way (= Mai-dun the great ridge) ; 

 this with its continuations connected with London in the south and 

 Scotland in the north, probably crossing the Wall about the Station 

 Magna. This is a road about which I have long sought for 

 information!; it came up apparently through Lancashire to the Roman 

 Camp of Alauna in Westmoreland. This camp commanded the de- 

 files near Low Borrow Bridge, a few miles south of Tebay, and went 

 on north past Black Dub on Shap Fells, through the Wall and on to 

 or near Bewcastle in Cumberland, and on (perhaps called here The 

 Wheal Causeway) to Roxburghshire, north of Deadwater, and on 

 (roughly) as far as Wolflee, thence lost. This road over Shap 

 Fells was evidently at one time one of the great routes from 

 Scotland to London, and was used by King Charles' army before 

 the Battle of Naseby. This is recorded on the obelisk at Black Dub. 



The lecturer speaks of the splendid remains at Cilurnum. I have 

 had the privilege of seeing them and also those at Amboglanna 

 (Birdoswald) and at Borcovicus (Housesteads) and the many extensive 

 remains uncovered in recent years at Corbridge, South of Hexham. 

 The paper mentions (p. 258) the Museum at Chesters ; this is beauti- 

 fully arranged and well worth a visit ; the one at Newcastle also 

 should not be missed on any account. 



We are told in the first three centuries there were some thirty 

 legions in Britain, and that during the third century the north front 

 was the principal field of military activity in the Roman empire ; 

 perpetual military operations were going on between the Tyne and 

 ^olway, and the post of commander was of very great importance,, 

 as the names of the commanders show. 



There are sermons in stones. Originally every Station and Mile 

 Castle had a wide gateway opening northwards, but we are told, and 

 it is very significant, that when the garrisons became weak and 

 demoralized, they diminished the size of the gateways and some were 



