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1917 
eastern side arc in the natural oolite formation, and have been quarried 
out on the town side so that the steep slope dips down for nearly 40 feet. 
Parts of the remaining mounds around the arena are undoubtedly artificial. 
Locally, it is always called the Bull Ring. In i860 Mr T. C. Brown, an 
eminent local antiquary, desciibed the amphitheatre, and said he had made 
a section of one of the banks, but found no stones or steps, such as had 
been found in similar amphitheatres in foreign countries. This, however, 
did not alter his opinion as to its being an amphitheatre, as he considered 
that in this cold climate it would not be comfortable to be sitting on stone 
seats. He thought, therefore, the seating must have been of wood, which 
in the course of centuries had perished. A curious feature of the position 
of this amphitheatre is that while it is just outside the town wall, it is in a 
direct line with the ancient Roman road ; the Foss Way. 
“ Standing on the mound on the East side one gets the best view of the 
site of the Roman city of Corinium, probably for many years ranking third 
in importance in Britain. The city walls were in the form of a parallelogram, 
rounded at the angles and enclosed about 240 acres of ground. The cir- 
cumference was more than two miles, according to Dr; Stukeley, who traced 
their whole course about the year 1723. They were probably about 15 feet 
high and 6 to 8 feet thick. Within these walls must have been many mag- 
nificent buildings, judging from the beautiful pavements discov^ered and 
preserved, and the massive worked stones of temples and other buildings 
brought to light from time to time.” 
The President then spoke of the Roman occupation of the town, and, 
in the course of his remarks, said : — 
Corinium having been hitherto the tribal, or Cantonal, centre of the 
Dobuni (just as Silchester (Calleva) was of the Atrebati), it is probable that 
the Roman General captured and established a permanent camp, .near its 
South side before sweeping down to the lower Severn Vale and the river. 
Two facts point to its Romano-British occiq^ation from the topographical 
point of view : (i) the survival of the local name Chesterton, or camp- 
enclosurc] and (2) the roads. If the map be consulted as well as the surviving 
bull-ring, it will become apparent that the Foss-way took its actual start 
Northwestward from the Roman Camp (destroyed by mediaeval quarries), 
independently of the Acman Street or Road to Aquae Sulis (or Bath), South- 
westward, which must be of later date. Similarly, the Irmin Street, or 
road to Glevum, was made from Corinium, not from Glevum, and, like the 
Acman Street, it started not from Chesterton, but from the north-western 
end of the town proper ; these latter (and later) two roads actually starting 
at right-angles, at the (now) west end of the Parish Church. Priority, in 
any case, belongs to the great strategic Foss-road to and from Lincoln 
across the Midlands ; and that probably dates from the first century or 
before, 98 A.D., when Glevum became constituted a small earth-fortified 
settlement of time-expired veterans (a Colonia), beside the Severn ; other- 
wise, a weapon of offence as well as of culture (civil and religious), and 
probably the third in order of date of the four Colonics in Britain. 
