276 
county to the other, with victory always in front, and 
nothing but slavery in the rear. Then a large colonial 
city arose at Lincoln, termed " Lindum Colonia ;" and here, 
on the southern extremity of the Heath, was a smaller 
settlement, chiefly on the site of the Old Place, where at 
times many Roman coins have been found, and also others 
near the site of the Castle. But the Heath itself was scored 
with, the impress of the Roman rule, the evidences of which 
remain to the present time. 
Near Caistor, in Northamptonshire, one of the four great 
Roman roads, " the Ermin- street/' was divided into two, 
the one represented by the modern road from Deeping to 
Bourn, but branching off at Graby bar is now called Mare- 
ham -lane, and was formerly continued past the Old Place, 
crossing the Heath at Coggleford Mill, Leasingham Moor, 
and thence passed along the eastern edge of the Heath by 
Ruskington, Ashby, Blankney, Metheringham, Dunston, 
Nocton, Potterhanworth, and Branston to Lincoln. In the 
parish of Ashby a tessellated pavement was discovered some 
years ago, forming the flooring of a Roman house, and much 
Roman pottery at Potterhanworth when some building was 
going on there under the direction of the late Incumbent. 
This, however, was only a minor or occupation road, the 
great military road forming the main branch of the Ermin- 
street, following the present line of the North road from 
Stamford to Colsterworth over ^Yitham Common, by Ponton, 
Cold Harbour, and Londonthorpe to Ancaster, and thence 
over the Heath, in a straight northerly direction, to Lincoln. 
At Ancaster was a permanent military station of the usual 
square form, surrounded by a deep ditch, and a bank of 
corresponding height. Here very many Roman coins have 
been found, and on one occasion a mass weighing two stones 
on the premises of Mr. Eaton ; but the most remarkable 
reminiscence of the Romans there is a group of the " Deae 
