a6 
Gertaining of stations. First: the roads 
on which they lie, which are sometimes 
mistaken. Secondly: the miles between 
them, which were, suppose, formerly as 
now, either measured or customary; 
and which, for want of ascertaining old 
tracks, are often uncertain. To fix these 
miles we must first proceed with standard 
measure: if we fait here, we may try 
what we may conceive customary, or ge- 
herally received distance ; ane for want 
of a certain line of road, we must have 
recourse to the nature of the country, 
and the line of probable aceess from 
place to place. If the first of these mea- 
$ures agree with remains, and the Itime- 
rary name, you must look no’ further. 
If you must have recourse to the second 
you may err a little, from your ignorance 
of ancient customary measure. If to 
the third, your judgment must direct you; 
and in either of these you will find, that 
the Romans did not oftez reckon twelve 
where the distance «vas sixteen; much 
less must you expect them to have reck- 
oued twelve where it was twenty-two. 
Thirdly: the import of names ancient 
and modern. Where the old name 1s 
Jost in maps, you must seek its new one, 
for it is always a translation thereof; and 
here fancy must not lead you astray, as 
many have been led, in selecting forms 
hot connected with the features of 
nature. You must always remember, 
that’ the old’ pame peculiarly agreed 
with its situation; and the new one, if 
rightly translated, will do the same; and 
both together will exhibit such a proof 
of local situation, as even folly will not 
be enabled to cavil at. Fourthly: you 
will examine remains: but as these were 
in many counties scattered over. their 
Surfaces in various directions, from ac- 
ceidentul as well as from permanent causes, 
these only may prove nothing, except 
1) combination with the foregoing. 
From Sorbiodunum ‘to Vindocladia, 
the road is supposed to be well known, 
and the distance is easily estimated. 
The miles between these, in the copies 
we—@f Antoninus, are variously stated at 
twelve, thirteen, and fifteen. Of the two 
first, both may agree; for as the Romans 
counted no odd measure, it may be reck- 
oned as near to one as to the other ; and 
these two numbers so nearly agreeing, 
shew that twelve or thirteen is to be 
preferred to fifteen, on the authority of 
Antoninus alone. But to put this point 
out of all doubt, Richard’s distance is 
also twelve miles. ; 
The station «: Vindocladia, or Bindo- 
SS "4 
True Site of Places in Richara’s Itinerary. © | [Aug. fy 
cladta, cannot in ovr maps be found by its 
old name; but at the exact distance of 
twelve Roman miles from. Sorbiodunum, 
we have Pentridge. V, B, and P, are 
in old names. commonly written for each 
other; andVindo, Vento, and Venta, may 
be contracted to Vent and Bent, from 
my observations on Venéa, in a former 
letter; and this may be changed to Pent, 
as in Pentridge. Cladh implies a ridge, 
dyke, bank, berying-place, rampart, &c 
and as Dh and Th were also commonly 
changed to Dand Ty, Clad in Vindocla~ 
dia, means the same as Ridge in Pene 
tridge, *' 
Dr. Stukeley, in his Itinerarium Curie 
osum, says, ‘ When this road (the Ro- 
man) has passed through the woods of 
Cranborn Chase, and approaches Wood- 
yates, vou, see a great dyke and vallum 
on the edges .of the hills (Black-Down) 
to the left by Pentridge, to which I sup- 
pose it gave name: this crosses the Ro= 
man road, and then passes on the otlier 
side, upon the division between the 
hundred. The large vallum is here south- 
ward, and itruns upon the northern brink 
of the hills.”. Mr. Maton says, ‘ that 
about a mile and a half from Woodyate’s 
inn,.we observe several tumuli, or bar- 
rows;” and ‘ on the declivity of the hilk 
to the left, there are vestiges of erlensive 
entrenchments, whieh afford reason tor 
believing, that this spot might once have 
been the scene of an important battle.” 
Mill supposed Vindocladia to be at Win- 
born Minster. 
The great dyke near Pentridge is 
called Grim’s Dyke, which implies the 
war or battle dyke, or entrenchment, 
The ground near this is strewed with «. 
vast number of burrows, some very large, 
and four with circular trenches, of sixty 
feet in diameter. Barrows are usual in 
the neighbourhood of stations and of 
battles. Venta may very properly im- 
ply a passage, or town of accomimoda- 
tion, as I have before stated: for near 
this, the Roman. road crossed Grim’s 
Dyke. But I should rather give this its 
original signification, by rendering it the 
head or hill-land: and the name Vin- 
docladia will, in this case, imply the 
Head-land Dyke, Ridge, or Entrench- 
ment. 
Another reading of this name seems to 
have reference to what hath been said 
of the barrows: and as Cladh means a 
* Penbury Hill is also said.to be near this 
place. I should suppose this place to have 
remains. 
burying-place, 
