Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 4.djvu/84



the last autumn some excavations were undertaken at Caister, near Norwich, under the direction of Sir John Boileau, Bart., to whom we are indebted for the following details, shewing that many vestiges of Roman occupation still remain unexplored, not only within the vallum of Venta Icenonum, but in the ground surrounding the site of that important fortress. It is scarcely necessary to remind our readers of the gratifying evidence of lively interest in the preservation of antiquities in the Icenian district, recently shewn by Sir John Boileau, in the acquisition of the interesting remains of, which have thus been placed beyond the risk of the injuries with which they had been threatened from various causes. He thus describes the remains found in the neighbourhood of Venta. "The site now belongs to Mrs. Dashwood, who very kindly gave me permission, on 10th September, 1846, when Mr. Rhode Hawkins came down to me, to excavate in her garden, situated about 200 yards from the north-east corner of the camp, as some foundations, supposed to be Roman, had been noticed there.

We went carefully to work, and produced, after several days' digging, the remains of a building exhibited in the plan. We tried for many yards