On the high and opposite points of Leigh and Clifton Downs, in rocks that overhang the Avon, are the vestiges of three camps. They are of a semicirlar shape, as nearly as the ground would admit; the land side being defended by four fosses and three bulla, formed of loose limestones, heaped to a considerable height, and cemented together by filling up the interstices with boiling mortar. Instances of which are discovered in digging, where the adhering parts are as tenacious, as the solid stone. The dimensions of this at Clifton are about two hundred yards in length, and about one hundred and fifty in breadth. A deep trench is cut through the solid rock, the whole length of the camp, on the side parallel with the river. This appears to be of much later date, and was probably an intrenchment of the royal or parliamentary forces, when they lay encamped on Leigh and Durdham Downs before the siege of Bristol. Those on the Leigh side are by far the largest. The eastern is now covered with forest trees. The western is somewhat smaller, in which, at the angle of two precipices, are the remains of a prætorium, of a circular form, and defended by a vallum and fosse. A deep ravine between these served as a passage down to the river, and a vadum, at low water, formed a communication with the opposite camp at Clifton. Various other traces of Roman fortifications are visible in the vicinity, both to the north and south. At Amesbury, Henbury, Stokeleigh, Fayland, Walton, and

Clevedon.* These were probably campa æstiva, vel explorativa, and all pointed to this spot, as the grand and principal station.

The height of these stations enabled the guards to descry an enemy in almost every direction, at a great distance, either by land or water, the Severn being visible for miles both up and down; and a fire kindled, would furnish an alarm beacon to all the collateral and subordinate posts. Indeed the importance of the station might be conceived from the means used to secure the advantages it gave; strong walls and treble ditches. Art strove to outvie nature in rendering this an impregnable fortress. Secured by an inaccessible precipice on one side, by ramparts on the other, a cwm leading to the river below, and a fort opposite the cwm; all combined to render it peculiarly terrible; and a strong post of defence against the desultory mode of warfare generally practised by the Britons. Situated on a large and navigable river, they could easily annoy an enemy by water; and on the land side, both to the north and south, in possession of a rich fertile country, they were furnished with the means, both of escape and defence, and within command of assistance from the other important stations of Aqua Solis and Caerleon.

* That these were Roman stations is evident, from the number of urns, coins, &c. that have been discovered in ploughing and digging foundations for buildings; now preserved in the cabinets of the curious. The coins are principally of the middle and latter Roman empire.

In a situation thus wisely chosen by this military people, they probably lived in garrison during winter, and in the summer occupying the country to a considerable extent, secured in its possession by the aforementioned fortified heights or Agrarian camps; and their vessels safely moored in Polbury Pill, where the small river Trim forms a junction with the Avon. You will, on these considerations, be ready with me to fix on this spot as the Abone of Antoninus. This being the most defensible post between Aqua Solis and those west of the Severn, and lying in the direct line, is a presumptive proof that it was the Abone of the Imperial Itinerary. Tacitus observes, "That Ostorius disarmed the suspected Britons, and fortified the Avon and the Severn." The station of SeaMills on the Trim to Caer Oder, or Bristol, with the different camps in the vicinity inclusive, may be considered as the Abone of the Romans. It is observed by the judicious Horsley, that, "The Romans were very careful to have their stations placed near a river, and there was no situation they were so fond of as a lingula, near the confluence of a large and small river; and if we run along a military line, we are sure to meet with a station wherever we find a river at any defensible distance from a preceding station." Baxter in his Glossary says, " Antona Tacitus dicitur, flumen Abona, quod aquas calidas, seu Budoxam præterfluit; etiamsi plurima fuerunt per universam Britanniam, etsi minoris notæ." Whitaker says, that Afon is often contracted into Awn;

and thence the Romans probably formed An

tonam.

Nothing perhaps has puzzled antiquarians more than the fourteenth Iter of the Roman Emperor. Each has suggested a different opinion, and each has been confident that his own must be right. That none has been perfectly satisfactory, argues the difficulty of the question; and that all have differed, proves most must be wrong. Therefore, in this case, there can be no harm in hazarding a conjecture. It has been justly observed, that if the extreme parts of the Iter were once settled, the intermediate places might be discovered without difficulty. But whoever attempts to pursue the steps of this illustrious Roman, must endeavour to trace a Roman road, or he will be liable to wander out of his way. A prevailing opinion of antiquarians is, that Oldbury is the Trajectus, and Alvington the Abone of the Iter. But the improbability of this opinion will appear, from the distance requiring an unreasonable allowance. To go from Bath to Oldbury, across the Severn, and then over the Wye to Caerwent, is such a diversion in the road, as was not usual with the Romans, who always went by the directest line, An additional objection is, that scarcely any Roman remains have been found to corroborate the opinion. And in cases where omissions have been made and errors crept in, from the ignorance of transcribers some latitude must be allowed; and it is but just to correct or supply from authors of the same period,

and of equal authority. We shall therefore call in the assistance of the Itinerary of the monk of Cirenand thus correct the questionable Iter.

cester,

Of Venta Silurum there is no question. That Trajectus should be transposed, and stand next to Venta, is equally clear; because there is no place, which conjecture can furnish, answerable to this name, but the passage across the Severn: and the Iter of Richard places Statio Trajectus before Abone. The author of the Britannia Romana, strenuously opposes any change in the numbers, or transposition of the names; but the authority of Richard proves both may be right. Trajectus therefore appears to have been Portishead Point, at the mouth of the Avon, directly opposite the river Throggy; where is a

*This was a MS. discovered by Mr. Bertram at Copenhagen, 1749; the writing of which was pronounced, by Mr. Casley of the Cottonian library to be of the 14th century. The compiler was Richard, a native of Cirencester, who collected his materials from documents left by the Roman General Lollius Urbicus, who extended the conquests of that people into Scotland about A. D. 150. Vid. Whitaker's Hist of Manchester.