Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 1.djvu/330

312 blocked up by a hideous mass of masonry, is on the south side, and the arch, turned and faced with a single row of large Roman bricks, springs from a kind of rude impost-moulding, somewhat resembling that of the Roman gateway at Lincoln, but this is not now visible. In the interior, the constructive features of the original Roman work were, before the entrance was closed up, far more visible and perfect than on the exterior, and the facing of the bricks was quite smooth; yet the effect of the alterations is here also plainly apparent, and the original windows, the arches of which are turned with Roman brick, have been filled up with flint masonry. Both the external as well as the internal facings of the entrance-doorway on the south side were, a few years back, when the interior could be readily examined, far from perfect. Over this doorway were two windows, one above the other, each arched with brick-work. On the east side of the tower is a rather lofty arch faced with stone, the soffit of which however appears to have been turned with brick; this probably communicated with some building adjoining. Over this arch is a window now blocked up.

To that indefatigable antiquary. Dr. Stukeley, we are indebted for plans and sections of the interior of this building as it was about a century ago. We have perhaps elsewhere more extensive remains of Roman masonry than here, but it may be doubted whether we have anywhere so curious a structure of the Roman era, or one more deserving of a minute and attentive examination. As public property, and in the custody of the government of this country, it may well be considered in the fullest sense as one of our national antiquities. Much therefore is it to be regretted that the effect of the care now taken of it is to preclude the examination of what is left.

The remains at Leicester of the ancient Roman building called the Jury wall, exhibit the like construction, being composed of rag-stone embedded in mortar, bonded at intervals with regular horizontal layers of Roman brick. The arched recesses, in the only wall of this structure which remains, are likewise soffited and faced with Roman brick. Fragments of Roman columns of the Doric order, have been found not far distant from the site of this structure, and the adjoining church of St. Nicholas appears to be in a great measure constructed from the materials. Geoffry of Monmouth mentions