Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/212

 116 REMAINS OF THE ANGLO-ROMAN AGE. more remarkable, as it occm'S in otlier parts of England, where ancient remains are to be met with, such as Castle Acre, in Norfolk. In reference to the signification of this term, especially with regard to the present instance, the fol- lowing remarks, by Hearne, may not be considered out of place. They are extracted from his glossary appended to " Peter Langtoft's Chronicle," under the word " akres." ^ He observes that the word " akre " had formerly a more extended sense, denoting a field, according to its Saxon deri- vation (Acere, ager, campus) and not merely that small quantity of land, now termed an acre. " From this extensive signification of the word in old time, I cannot but observe, that whereas in some places, where there have been undoubtedly Roman works, the com- mon people, as well as others, make use of Castle Acre, to distinguish such a piece of ground where they have been, I think we ought not to restrain that term to our modern narrow acceptation of the word, but look upon it to be meant in the old sense, so as to denote an intire field. So whereas by Castle Acre in Weycock Field, in the parish of Laurence Waltham, near Maidenhead in Berks, the country people com- monly understand no more ground than what is now generally known by the term acre, I rather think that 'tis to be under- stood of the whole field, at least of a great many of our com- mon acres, and that the building there was very large ; a thing which the great number of antiquities found in the field proves very plainly : in reference to which I shall here tran- scribe what I have put down in one of my MSS.^ a few years since, when in my walk I lay at Hare-hatch, and the next day went through this field, as I have upon occasion done several times. — 'April 1, 1719. From Hare-hatch I walk'd to Shottesbrooke, and pass'd through a great field (in the parish of Laurence Waltham) called Weycock. One part of this field is call'd Castle Acre. There is a tradition, that there was a large castle there. Indeed there is no manner of doubt but in this field there was once a very considerable fort, and several buildings besides. The ground call'd Castle Acre is higher than the rest. Abundance of Roman money hath been found in this field of Weycock. I discovered in many places of it fragments of Roman bricks. I met with two or three workmen, with whom I talk'd about this " Vol. ii., p. .^1.0. •'■ Vol. Ixx., p. .91.