ROMAN DEVON. 
235 
BO MAN" DEVON. 
BY MR. J. BROOKING ROWE, F.S.A., F.L.S. 
(Read January 15th, 1880.) 
After referring to the importance of the subject, the lecturer 
proceeded: " So long ago as 1780 Richard Gough, the antiquary, 
said that "the Roman topography of Britain was a field of 
enquiry still open to diligent investigators, who have opportunities 
to make observations on the spot, and examine the innumerable 
camps and roads concealed in many parts of the island, from which, 
if traced with attention before time and civilization have com- 
pleted their destruction, an almost new Notitia might be deduced."* 
Although the advice of the good old antiquary has been taken by 
some, and the ancient topography of some counties (Somerset, for 
instance) well worked out, but little has been done so far with 
regard to our own county. The late Mr. Henry Woollcombe 
examined and planned a large number of the hill-forts and so- 
called castles. Many have been described and illustrated by Mr. 
Hutchinson, of Sidmouth. There are scattered references to others 
in the Archceologia, the Transactions of the Devonshire Association, 
the Archceological Journal, and elsewhere ; and the county 
historians have referred after their manner to the traces of Roman 
occupation. But the work requires to be done systematically — 
the scattered notices collected, and roads and forts carefully 
mapped. I commend this interesting labour to any one with 
sufficient time to devote to it. If the progress of civilization and 
the ravages of time needed to be combated a century ago, how 
much must have been lost since then? Indeed, many of the 
forts, &c, marked on the map behind me, are no longer to be 
found; the plough has gone over them, and the tale which they 
might have told us lost for ever. My intention this evening is 
merely to draw attention to the subject, to lay before you some 
* 4 'Eng. Top.,"' p. 17. 
