Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/440

 288 PROCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS OF By Mil. Allingham, of Reigate. — A Roman flue-tile, part of a recent discovery near that town. It is ornamented, in a very unusual manner, with patterns, not scored, but impressed on two sides of the surface, by the repetition of stamps, producing an elaborate design, as represented by the annexed woodcut.^ It was found on a farm called " the Doods," or " Mutton Hall," the property of JNIi-. FeUowes, and now in the occupation of Mr. Jesse Pym, whose foreman, living on the spot, found, in the eeirly part of the summer, a course of these flue-tiles, evidently taken from some Roman site in the neiglibourhood, — the debris of a hypocaust. They had been laid lengthwise, in a line, about 3 feet beneath the surface, to form a drain ; the apertures for heated air were covered by pieces of Roman wall tile, or stone, to pre- vent the soil falling into the tiles. The tiles were, however, completely filled with clay, and had, probably, lain many years in that position. The adjoining field, which had been traversed by the cutting of the Reigate and Reading Railway, was strewed profusely vAi ft-agments of Ro- man wall-tile, roofing-tile v/ith flanges, and curved tQes {imbrices), but no vestiges of pottery, metal, or coins, had been found. The field where the drain lay is known as "The Way Close," and is now in pasture; it forms the summit of a rising ground, and is an agreeable and commanding posi- tion. Various discoveries of Roman coins, and other remains, have been made in this neighbourhood, and especially at Nutfield, about two miles eastward. The ancient track, known as the "Pilgrim's Way," runs to the north of the spot. In an adjacent close, the curious medieval ring, set with an antique gem {Mars gradivus), was found, now in Mi*. Allingham's possession, and described in a former volume of the Journal.^ Mr. AJlingham presented the tile to the Institute. The mode of construction by which these tiles were used for the artificial heating of houses or baths, in the Roman times, is well shown in Lyson's " Woodchester " and his other works. Mr. Artis has also given several varieties of the forms of flue-tiles in his " DurobrivtC," pi. 9. One from the Roman Bath in Thames Street, is engraved in a former volume of this Journal.' A remarkable double flue- tile, with one face higlily decorated (found in the city of London), is preserved in Mr. Roach Smitli's JMuseum.^ ]Ir. Talt50t laid before the meeting a similar hollow tile, of Roman - — r. ^A Roman Flue-tile, found near Reigate. (One-sixth or'ginal size.) '•' Dimensions, 1,5 inchcfi long; impressed siilcs, 6| inches; plain sides, 4] inches wide: per- forations, 4 inches liy '2 ; opening at tlic ends, b' by 3^ inches. •"' Arch. Jonr. vol. iv., p. 150. 7 Arch. Jour. vol. v., p. 27. ^ .Journal of the Arc hacol, Assoc, vol, iv,, p. 47.