1810.] 
an eminence crowned with wood, affords 
to the scenery a pleasing variety. Below 
this was planted the artillery that so suc- 
cessfully battered the castle walls, when 
the victorious arms of Massey spread 
through the country terror and dismay. 
——_——_—— 
In Letter III. p. 20, col. 1, line 36, for 
alteration, read a/ternation. Col. 2, line 15, 
tor extraneous, read cutaneous. 
a 
Lo the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
HE public is lately indebted for the, 
re-publication of Richard’s Itinerary 
of Great Britain to several learned 
writers: copies of this work were very 
much wanted. The commentary upon 
it must be a very acceptable part of the 
work, so far as it is Just; but in Iter 16, 
**the site of Moridunum is said by the 
writer to be doubtful, some thinking it to 
be at Eggardon, the hill of the Morini, 
with which the distance of nine miles 
would not disagree; whilst others, with 
more reason, prefer Seaton, the great 
port of the West; because the foss leads 
from Ilchester directly to it. Interme- 
diate stations have evidently been lost 
between this place and Exeter, as has 
also been the case between that place 
and the Dart, the Tamer, the Fawy, 
and the Fall.” 
With many antiquaries it is an opinion 
of long standing, that Moridunum is Sea- 
ton; butitisa very erroneous one. A 
_ comment to this purpose in this very 
useful work, cannot be too soon pointed 
out. The public too, who have been so 
many years contemplating on this line 
of stations, not laid down by Antoninus, 
or Richard, will gladly be led out of er- 
ror through the medium of your Ma- 
gazine, 
-I must observe then, that the distance 
of Moridunum from [sca Dunmoniorum 
is fifteen Roman miles, both in Richard 
and Antoninus; and this distance seems 
to have been unaccountably overlooked 
by antiquaries. Both authors agreeing 
in this, the rule in such cases is to con- 
clude that they are both right as to dis- 
tance. I shall therefore enquire where 
a station lay which will answer to Lr 
teen miles east of Exeter. LHembury 
Fort, then, on Black-Down near Ho- 
niton, is exactly fifteen Roman males 
from this city; and the old road between 
Isca Dunmoniorum, and Moridunum, 
viewed from the fort, ran by the way of 
Broad Clest Heath, in a straight line 
True Site of Moridunum, Ke. 535. 
¢ 
between them. ‘This fort is situated om 
a point of hill land which overlooks the 
creat eastern roads from Salisbury, Iie 
chester, Shaftesbury, &c. to Exeter. 
The ancient roads from Ilchester and 
Ilminster ran by the last, and near the 
castle of Neroche to Otterford, and over 
the hill through the north of Up-Ottery 
to this very point; and from thence to 
Exeter. ‘The promontory on which it is 
situated, 1s calculated to secure the 
country: its works were truly Roman, 
and strong from nature. But lest my 
readers should suppose that this station 
may be found im another situation, I 
must inform him that there is none be- 
sides to the east of Exeter which will 
answer to this distance. The word Mor, 
from the Welsh, has been rendered Sea ; 
and hence Seaton, has been stated to 
be the place, though nearly twenty-two 
miles from Exeter, and without sufficient 
remains to claim the name of a station. 
But according to Gale, Afur is the ge- 
neral reading. Let it however be Mor 
or Mur, Moridunum is not derived from 
this language, nor is Seaton a translation 
of this name. The letter JZ is often 
changed. to V; Maridunum in Wales, 
now Caer-Marthen, or Cer-Marden, has 
been changed by the Welsh to Cer- 
Vytdhin: and Vor, Var, Bor, Bur, &c. 
have frequently in old names been ren- 
dered Border, from the roots er, or, and 
ur, border. The Saxons translated Afor 
by Hem, which is also border. Duntn 
they rendered berry; and hence Hem- 
bury was the Saxon translation of Mori- 
dunum. I have seldom, Mr. Editor, 
attended to the measure of the line ef 
road from one place to another, or to 
the measuring for the import of these 
words; but I shall just mention, that 
Seaton will not suit any distance in the 
‘ Itinerary; on the contrary, Hembury 
Fort, by the way of Shaftesbury, over the 
hills by Neroche, will be found at the 
distance stated by them from Dorches- 
ter, as well as at the exact distance from 
Exeter. So far, Mr. Editor, have we 
proved that Hembury fort is Moridunum ; 
and so far are we further beholden for 
truth, by comparing our old names with 
‘Saxon translations, hitherto generally 
neglected. But independent of these 
particulars, we have sull @ more impor- 
tant proof of this place being Moridu- 
num. Maridunum in Wales, is now 
called Caer-Marthen or Caer-Marden : 
and a manor of land under Hembury 
fort, and the Jand*on which the foit 
stands, are at this present time named 
ip 
