Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 4.djvu/228

 210 ON THE CITY OF ANDERIDA, OR ANDREDESCEASTER. been utterly wanting for those evolutions between the besieg- ing Saxons and the defending Britons at Andredesceaster, which we are assured were actually practised. But the grand difticulty is, that at Hastings there is neither ancient record nor existing vestige of any of those extraordinary structures, which the Romans invariably raised wherever they retained lengthened possession of a country, and which often vie almost with rock itself in durability. So far as my infor- mation extends, the strongest advocacy of Hastings as the site of Anderida is comprised in a suggestion of Somner', that such might be the case from the addition of " Chester" to the name. Somner's authority for that addition I know not ; some no doubt he had, though he adduces none ; but cer- tainly it was not the Saxon Chronicle, Avhere Hastings is never styled " Ceaster ;" and, as already stated, evidence is still to be produced that a Roman building of any description ever stood on or near the spot. 6, 7. The cases of Newhaven and Seaford may be dis- cussed together, their claims to the honour in question, as reported in Horslield's Sussex, vol. i. pp. 51 to 54, resting entirely upon manuscript observations by Mr. Elliott, Mr. Hayley, and Mr. Charles Verral. In these observations, however, I find merely conjectural supposition beyond the statements that Roman camps are yet visible in the neigh- bourhood of those two places, and that " an extensive Roman cemetery has been discovered on the farm of Sutton" adjoin- ing Seaford"". But camps, surrounded by earthworks, like those just alluded to", are totally distinct things from cities encircled by stone walls ; and it will hardly be denied, that the latter must have been the condition of Andredesceaster, Respecting the Roman remains, I repeat what has been said with regard to East Bourne ; that the utmost such remains can demonstrate is, that some Roman settlement existed at no great distance, not, in the absence of other proof, that such settlement was a considerable city like Anderida. At both Newhaven and Seaford, as well as at every other spot, omitting Chichester, hitherto noticed in this discussion, there is wanting the conclusive testimony supplied by masonry of indisputable, or even probable, Roman origin, such as that ' Roman Ports and Forts in Kent, p. inspected : that at Newhaven I have seen, 105. and deem the fact very doubtful whether ■" Ut supra, p. 52. it really is Roman. " The camp near Seaford I have never