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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 July 2012
Historians assert, that the Belgæ[a], or Attrebatii, a people of Gaul, were the first emigrants who settled in the Southern parts of this island long before the Roman eagle was advanced hither. Little can be learned relating to them or the ancient Britons before Cæsar's invasion, which was fifty three or fifty four years before Christ. About that time, we learn, that the kingdom of the Iceni, whose inhabitants were called Cenimagni, comprehended the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge, and Huntingdon, and that they, with other kingdoms in this island, submitted by their ambassadors to Cæsar; and that afterwards, in order to keep the people in subjection, the proprætor Ostorius Scapula, who was sent hither about the year of Christ 47[b], established garrisons, and disarmed the suspected people in various parts of the island [c].
page 132 note [a] Gibson's Camden, p. 58.
page 132 note [b] Brady's History of England, p. 14.
page 132 note [c] Camden, p. xlvi.
page 132 note [d] Divided from the world the British race.
page 133 note [e] Inhabitants of Middlesex and Essex.
page 133 note [f] A. D. 62.
page 133 note [g] A Roman town near St. Alban's in Hertsordshire.
page 133 note [h] Dio Cassius affirms she died of sickness.
page 134 note [i] Hume's History of England.
page 134 note [k] Burgh Castle near Yarmouth, where was stationed the captain of the Stablesian Horse, who was styled Garienonensis, under the command of the count of the Saxon shore, called Comes Tractus Maritimi through Britain, who had under him nine maritime towns placed on the South and East coast of the island, and the soldiers in garrison were about 2,200 foot, and 200 horse. There are few remains of Roman buildings in Britain in so good preservation as Gariononum; most of the walls are now standing, and it is altogether a very fine specimen of their favourite military architecture; its form is a parallelogram of 214 yards in length, and 107 yards in breadth, containing 4 acres 2 roods
page 134 note [l] Thetford, famed for being the seat of the kings of the East Angles.
page 134 note [m] Brancaster near Burnham, another maritime station; here was stationed the Captain of the Dalmatian horse. Camden says, “it contained some 8 acres.” Gibson, his annotator, “there are plain remains of a Roman camp, “answering the figure of that described by Cæsar (Comment, de Bell. Gall. 1. 2.). “‘Castia in altitudinem pedum 12 vallo fossaque duodeviginti pedum munire “jubet,’ all the dimensions of it shew it was not made in a hurry, but was regular and designed on purpose for a station upon that Northern shore against the “incursions of the Saxons.” When I was there in 1788 the walls were all erased, but on the summit of the fosse are strewed numberless pieces of Roman tiles and urns. W. W.
page 134 note * These numbers from the Notitia, written in the reign of Theodosius the younger, A. D. 410, allow only 267 to each station, which could not, by any means, be suficient to defend them; probably the British allies, of which great part of the army was composed, are not included.
page 135 note [n] Castor, by Norwich, the slourishing city of the Iceni. Camden, p. 385.
page 135 note [o] Taseborgh, 7 or 8 miles South from Norwich, and 5 from Castor; where is still a square entrenchment containing 24 acres. The name of the town shews its original to have been the Burgh or Fortification on the River saus or Tese and accordingly Dr. Gale, in his Commentary on Antoninus's Itinerary, p. 109, tells us this river was called Taii and that the station ad Tuam, mentioned in the Peutingerian Tables, was here; and indeed the parish church stands in the fortification, the dimensions of which are still visible, and an advantageous situation it was to guard the pass of the river leading to Castre being on the summit of a very high hill, commanding the adjacent country, and hanging over the river, which turns Eastward, and makes a commodious sinus or bay for such vessels as come up hither. Blomsield, vol. III. p. 138.
page 135 note [p] The river Tese joins the Wensum at Trowse, about 3 miles to the North*east, where, conjoined with another small stream, it takes the name of Yare.
page 135 note * Trois ouse.
page 135 note † Gariena.
page 136 note [q] See Act of Parliament, Anno Septimo Jacobi I. 1609, vol. III. cap. 20, which enumerates 74 parishes in Norfolk, and 15 in Suffolk, subject: to inundations caused by Spring tides assisted by strong Westerly winds.
page 136 note [r] This nearly agrees with the form of encampments described in Cæsar's Commentaries; and, according to the author of the Travels of Anacharsis the younger, who quotes Herodotus, was also in use by the Persians, and probably by the Grecians, some centuries before Mardonius, Xerxes's general, at the battle of Platea, caused a space of ten stadia square to be surrounded with a deep ditch, and likewise with walls and wooden towers.
page 136 note * Introduct. Travels in Greece, p. 302.
page 136 note † Lib. IX. cap. 15.
page 136 note ‡ More than a mile.
page 138 note [s] The external angles of Caster church, which stands in the Southeast corner of the station (see Plate XXI.), are built with tiles from the ruins; they measure 18 inches long by 12 inches broad, and from 1⅜ inch to 2 inches in thick-ness.
page 138 note [t] The workmen employed in building walls with these materials were called camentarii. Mr. Essex's remarks on brick and stone buildings in England. Archæologia, vol. IV. p. 94.
page 139 note [u] The eighth in descent from the famous Woden. From Ussa the succeeding kings here were called Ussingœ. Malmsb. lib. I. Indeed most of the Saxon princes were reputed to have sprung from Woden. Hume's Hist. of England.
page 139 note [v] Gibson's Camden, p. 385.
page 139 note [w] Ber, Berg Burg street, i. e. the street leading to the castle.
page 140 note [x] North and South Girvia were two provinces belonging to the East, Angles, what is now called the Isle of Ely. Tonbert was the proprietor, as appears by his making it a marriage settlement; by which it descended to the princess Etheldreda on the decease of her husband, A. D. 955. Bentham's Ely. P. 47.
page 140 note [y] Ixning, now a small village in Suffolk, bordering on Cambridgeshire, was also one of the seats of king Anna, where St. Etheldreda, the foundress of the church, and first abbess of Ely, was born about A. D. 630. Ibid. p. 45.
Holkham in Norfolk was another seat of king Anna, where St. Withburga his youngest daughter was sent to nurse. The place was sometime called Withburgstowe, and a church was built in memory of her at the death of her father, A. D. 654-5. Ibid. p. 76.
This village has since recovered its ancient name of Holkham, where the late earl of Leicester built a magnificent palace, which descended to the family of Thomas William Coke, Esq. one of the present members of parliament for the county of Norfolk.
page 140 note [z] Desponsatur itaque biennio ante intersectionem patris sui. MS, Lib. Elien. lib. I. cap. 4. Bentham's My, p. 46.
page 140 note [a] These lands must have been liable to Castle-guard service before they were granted to Ely monastery; for by the laws of the Saxons, lands granted to the church were not liable to secular services, unless they were first imposed on them when they were given to secular men. Bede, I. IV. cap. 26, p. 198.
page 140 note * Ethelwolph, son of Egbert, ordained, that riches and lands due to the holy church should be free from all tribute or regal services. Bede's Hist, Eccles. lib. III. cap, 22.
page 141 note [b] £1000 Bentham's Ely, p. 132. See Carta Regis Henrici I. de acquietatione de warda Militum in Castello Regis de Norwic. Ex iisdem MSS. Bentham's Appendix, No xviii.
page 141 note [c] Saxon Annals.
page 141 note [d] Afferius Menevensis de vita et gestis Regis Aluredi. Edit. Francsorti, 1603.
page 141 note [e] Stone for buildings was in use with the Saxons prior to this time, and particularly so in the kingdom of the East Angles, the conventual church at Ely in the time of the Heptarchy, 673, the chapel at Orford, and the Saxon church at Dunwich, both in Suffolk, of whose foundation there are no records. Their plans are similar to that at Ely, and from Dunwich being the seat of Felix, the first bishop of the East Angles, it is probable, that both the buildings at Dunwich and at Orford were built about that æra, 630 or 636, or foon after, possibly by his successors.
page 141 note * At Donmok there was Felix first bishop
Of Estangle, and taught chrysten faith,
That is full bye in heven I hope. Haiding, cap. 91. Weever, p. 717.
page 142 note [f] Bentham's Rerraiks on Saxon Churches, p. 27.
page 142 note [g] Godrum, Gothrcm, or Guthrum. Brady's Hist. of Englaud, p. 115.
page 142 note [h] Brady, Ib. p. 117.
page 143 note [i] Various coins executed in Norwich in these reigns are mentioned in Blomefield, p. 4.
page 143 note [k] Or Sweyne.
page 143 note [l] Chron. Sax. p. 133
page 143 note [m] Chron. Sax. p. 139.
page 143 note [n] Or Turketel.
page 144 note [o] Royal castles were frequently committed to the sheriff, who was called Custos, or Keeper of the Castle; but barons, &c. were called Constables of the Castles, and exercised royal power within their jurisdiction; which sheriffs never did, without a special writ for so doing.
page 144 note [p] Gurdon's essay on Norwich castle.
page 144 note [q] Second son of King Edward I. by his second wife. Blomesield, vol. I. p. 56.
page 144 note [r] The honour of Hugh Bigod earl of Norfolk was 125 sees, that is, 85 thousand acres. Madox's Baronia Anglicana cap. 3.
page 144 note [s] Bloaiefield, vol. I. p. 56.
page 145 note [t] “For my mastyr the Eric of Oxynforthe bydeth me axe and have, I trow my brodyr Sir John shall have the constabyllship of Norwych castyll wt xxli of see; for all the lordys be agreyd to it.” John Paston's Letter to his Mother, dated II O&l, 1470, 10 Edward IV. See Sir John Fenn's Letters, vol. II. p. xxxvi.
page 145 note [u] “Under the grand portal of the East front of the castle are two impost stones, from which the great arch springs, which have each a lion in basso relievo; and as Mr. Camden ascribes the building to Bigod from the two lions carved in stone there, from these very lions I rather take Canute to be the builder of it; for he bore for coat armour lions passant guardant, and a carver that was not nicely versed in heraldry, might, instead of guardant carve lions passant regardant, or saliant: which postures are so widely different from passant to the most cursory view, that the extremity of carelessness could hardly produce such a mistake.” Gurdon's Antiq. of Norwich Castle.
I do not quote this passage of Mr. Gurdon in proof of the age of the building, because I shall afterwards endeavour to shew that this part was built by one of the Bigods; the main tower, however, was most likely built by Canute, or some of his predecessors.
page 145 note [x] Ditch, moat, fosse, vallum, a hollow space on the outside of walls or ramparts.
page 145 note [y] Ber, Berg, Burg-street, i. e. the street leading to the castle.
page 145 note [z] An advanced work placed at the front of the entrance of a castle, a watchtower.
“Within the Barbican a porter fat,
“Day and night duly keeping watch and ward.”
Spenfer's Fairie Queene
For repairing the Barbican a tax called Barbicanage was levied on certain lands. Carta 17 Edward III. m. 6 n. 14.
page 146 note [a] On the triangular space, see Plate XXIII. at F, on the right-hand as you enter the Barbican flood the church of St. Martin in Balliva or Bailiffwick of the castle, which was totally exempt from all episcopal and archidiaconal jurisdiction. It was taken down in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
page 146 note [b] See plate XXIII.
page 147 note [c] Grose's Preface on ancient castles, p. 6. The walls to the city of Norwich, which were built in 1294, were conslructed in this way. Plate XXII.
page 147 note [d] Blomefield's Norwich, p. 646. “The market-place was the Magna Crofta, or Great Croft, belonging to the castle, to the outward ditch of which it adjoined, and at first was open from St. Stephen's church to the Holtor now called Dove Jane.” The parish is yet called St. Peter of Mancroft.
page 147 note [e] Blomefield, p. 575.
page 148 note [f] Workmen were employed some years since to destroy these foundations. Their progress was so slow, from the materials being so strongly cemented together, that their employers desisted from the undertaking, and they still appear, in some places, a few inches above the surface of the ground.
page 148 note [g] The bridge leading to it is indeed unquestionably one of the most perfect Saxon arches now extant.” Mr. King's Observations, Archæol. vol. IV- p. 397. See Plate XLIV. p. 175, 176.
page 148 note [b] See Mr. Essex's Remarks on brick and stone buildings. Archæologia, vol. IV.
page 148 note [i] See profiles of these mouldings, fig. 4, &c. Plate XXXV.
page 149 note [k] “The entrance into the ballium was commonly through a strong machicolated and embattled gate, between two towers secured by a herse,” (Grose's Preface, p. 7.) or portcullis, Porta clausa, q. d. a port close, a machine like a harrow, which slided through grooves of stone in the jambs of the gateway, and hung before the gates.
page 149 note [l] See Hist. of Norwich, p. 573.
page 150 note [m] See plan, Plate XXIII. at C.
page 150 note [n] See plan, Plate XXIII. at D.
page 150 note [o] “I cannot help observing, that the resemblance which the devices, and the mode of fortification, both in this (Norwich) Saxon castle, and in that at Colchester, have to those built in the more improved Norman times, seems to indicate that the general plan was taken from structures of a still earlier date than either, especially as the description given by Josephus of the tower of Antonia at Jerusalem may lead us to suspect this mode of building to have been very ancient indeed, and to have been known and introduced even before the age in which he lived.” Mr. King's Observations on Ancient Castles. Archæologia, vol. IV. p. 398.
page 151 note [p] Rollin on Ancient Fortifications, vol. II. p. 46.
page 151 note [q ]X. c. 28. p. 138.
page 151 note [r] Bell. Jud. VI. c. 6.
page 151 note [s] The contrivances of these building are described by Mr. King Archæol. vol. IV. and VI.
page 151 note [t] The keep of Cambridge castle was in the exterior works.
page 151 note [u] Observations on Norwich castle, Archæol. vol. IV. p. 402.
page 152 note [x] Archæol. vol. IV. p. 398. This has, however, been since taken down, when I found the landing was strongly supported by very strong arched work of apparent antiquity with the original building.
page 152 note [y] It appears from the record called Testa de Nevil that selons were imprisioned here so early as king Henry the First's time.
page 153 note [z] The chapel is now taken away to give room to new alterations.
page 153 note [a] Catapultæ, Espringolds, Arblasters, &c. &c. In 1342 the gates and towers of the city were furnishied by Richard Spynk, citizen, with 30 espringolds to cast great stones with, and to every espringold one hundred gogions, or balls locked up in a box, with ropes and other accoutrements belonging to them, also four great arblasters, or cross bows, and to each of them one hundred gogions, or balls, and two pair of grapples to draw up the bows with, besides other armour. Lib Introit. civium I. pp. 3, 5.
page 154 note [b] This is now entirely built over, but the well has been partly filled up in the memory of persons still living.
Fig 3. is a capital in the same room.
Fig. 4. is a capital on the great stair-case near the portal.
page 154 note [c] Watton's Observations on Spenser's Fairie Queen, vol. I. p. 43.
page 155 note [d] Warton's Observations on Spenser's Faiy Queen, vol. I. p. 77, from Carton's Prologue.
page 155 note [e] See Mr. King's Account of Ancient Castles in Archæologie.
page 156 note [f] Bentham's Ely, p. 18. and Warton on Spenser, vol. II. p. 186.
page 158 note [h] “The East face of Tauk Kessera, near the river Tygris, is 300 feet in length, the breadth of the arch 85 feet, and height 106 feet; the front on each side the arch is full of niches like our cathedrals; the length of the arched roof from East to West 150 feet. One of our Turkish servants, who spoke a little of the Portuguese language, told my man, that the general opinion of the country was, that Tauk Kessera was not built by a Persian, Parthian, Turk, or any other Afiatic, but by an European prince, who came into this part of the world with a large army and subdued it. As we had not yet met with any edifice in Asia carrying with it so great a resemblance of the ancient European architecture as this, it struck me that Tauk Kessera might have been constructed, soon after the conquest of this part of the world, by Alexander the Great, or one of his captains.”
Mr. Ives's Route from Bassora to Latichea, p. 290.
page 158 note [i] Archæologia, vol. VIII. p. 170. Pl. XIII.
page 158 note [k] Dr. Pocock's Description of the East, vol. I. p. 37. Pl. XIII.
page 158 note [l] This must have been more than a hundred years after the Norman taste was dropped in England, and the new style generally adopted, when pointed arches † and prominent buttresses made their appearance; although this is subsequent to the origin of what is called Gothic, vet it shews that the former style was still continued in some degree in those countries.
page 158 note * Ctefiphon, &c.
page 159 note [m] Gundulph's tower in Rochester castle appears divided by all round piers. See the beautiful view by Mr. Hearne in Bowyer's elegant History of England, No 10.
page 159 note † The first appearance of the pointed arch in this country was probably towards the latter end of the reign of Henry the First, in the church of Frendsbury, built by Paulinus the Sacrist, between the years 1125 and 1137.
Biblioth Topograph. Brit. No VI. Part 2. p. 118.
page 160 note [n][o][p] These terms are used by Mr. Warton in his Observations on Spenser's Fairy Queen; Mr. Bentham, in his History of Ely; Capt. Grose, in his Preface to the History of England, and other writers.
page 160 note [q] See A A, Plate XXV.
page 161 note [r] As at Canterbury, Grimbald's cript at Oxford, conventual church at Ely, chancel at Orford, Dunwich, Norwich castle, &c. built by the Saxons, and all the cathedrals of Norman workmanship.
page 161 note [s] Fig. 13 and 20, plate XXXIV.
page 161 note [t] Norden's Travels in Egypt and Nubia, vol. II. p. 88.
page 161 note [u] Fig I, plate XXV. a specimen of the exterior decoration, taken from the West side; A A are the upper parts of two butresses with the arched work between them.
page 162 note [x] Plate XXV. fig. 1.
page 162 note [y] See the upper part of the tower, fig. 6, plate XXVI. shewing the open vestibule to the entrance of the castle.
page 162 note [z] See Plate XXVI. fig. 3.
page 162 note [a] “The reason why I fancy Bigod repaired the castle is, because I observed Iions faliant cut in the stone, in the same manner as the Bigods formerly used them in their seals; of whom though there was one who made use of a cross.”
Gibson's Camden, p. 187.
page 162 note [b] See note u page 145.
page 163 note [c] And it seems by his (Thomas de Brotherton) arms still remaining, carved in stone on the walls, that it was he that fitted up the castle as it now stands, for I think by his * coat, twice cut on the pilasters of the arch of the stair-case, that he built that stair-case, made that arch, and added the battlements whichwere on the top, and left the building much as we fee it now.”
Blomefield's Norwich, p. 56.
page 163 note [d] “There is indeed a trace of its having been built in its present form by Roger Bigod, about the time of William Rufus, and of its having been finally completed by Thomas de Brotherton, even so late as the time of Edward II. but I cannot help suspecting all this to be a mistake; for, though it may be true, with regard to the outworks, and the many great buildings enclosed within the limits and outward walls of this castle, which were formerly very extensive and numerous, that a great part of them were built and completed by those two powerful lords, yet, as to the keep, or master tower (the only considerable part now remaining), the style of its architecture is, in many respects, so different from that of the towers erected in the reigns of William Rufus and Henry I. and II., and the ornaments are so different from those which were in use in the reign of Edward II. (when pointed arches had been long introduced, and were esteemed the most elegant of any), that I cannot but think the building of much greater antiquity, and completely Saxon, though it is possible the stair-case might be repaired, or even rebuilt, by Thomas de Brotherton, whose arms are to be seen on a part of the wall. In short, as to the main body of the building, I take it to he the very tower which was erected about the time of king Canute, who, though himself a Dane, yet undoubtedly made use of many Saxon architects, as the far greater number of his subjects were Saxons. And I am rather induced to form this conclusion, because I can find no authentic account whatever of the destruction of the castle built in Canute's time, either by war or by accident; or of its being taken down in order to erect the present structure, as is supposed by some.” Observations on Ancient Castles. Archæologia, vol. IV. p. 396–7.
page 163 note * The author of the essay, vol. 36, quite mistakes the lions, by fixing them either to Canute or Bigod, they being plainly the arms of Thomas de Brotherton, second son to king Edward I. by his second wife, and so half brother to Edward II. who bore the arms of England with a label of three Argent; or if there never was any label, he put them there in honour of his brother, under whom he held the castle.
page 164 note [e] This stair-case has been taken down to make room for the recent alterations, and although a great part of it was always open to the weather, the hardness of the cement was astonishing; a number of labourers were employed many weeks in demolishing it.
page 164 note [f] Plate XXVI. fig. 1. and the geometrical section fig. 2. of the moulding.
page 164 note [g] Plate XXVI. fig. 6.
page 164 note [h] Fig. 4. The arched mouldings to Bigod's tower.
fig. 5. Geometrical section of the mouldings.
page 165 note [i] See Swinburne's Travels in Spain.
page 165 note [k] Bentham's Ely.
page 165 note [l] Beńedict is said to be the first who brought masons, paynting, and glasing, into this realme to the Saxons, and to have flourished Anno Domini 658.
Stowe's Chronicle, p. 74.
page 166 note [m] Gardiner's History of Dunwich, p. 63.
page 166 note [n] Plate XXVII*. the plan of the church at Dunwich.
page 167 note [o] Rivett's Collections.
page 170 note [p] This priory was founded in the beginning of the 12th century.
page 171 note [q] Blomefield, vol. V. p. 787.
page 172 note [r] Bentham's History of Ely.
page 174 note [s] Blomefield, vol. II p. 54.
page 176 note [a] Upon the crown of the arch flood an arch of Gothic workmanship, as is shewn, I believe, in Buck's views; but, as this was no part of the original building, I shall make no observation upon it.
page 176 note [b] In my former letter, p. 148, I observed, that the section of the impost moulding was alone sufficient to decide that this bridge was of Saxon or Norman, and not of Roman architecture, and by a similar observation in passing through the city of Lincoln four years since, I accidentally, and without any previous information, determined the gate through which the present turnpike road passes towards Spital to be of Roman workmanship, from which I made a drawing, and presented it to Sir Joseph Banks. I have added another drawing to this collection, as the section of the impost moulding serves also to elucidate the present subject. See Plate XLII.
page 177 note [c] As there is no appearance of a portcullis to the outlet of the keep, might there not have been one to this portal? or was the portcullis of subsequent invention?
page 178 note [d] Flints, which are one of the abundant productions of this county, have not been overlooked by our predecessors in building. We find the substance of all old walls, in this part of the kingdom composed of that material, and with strong-made mortar, which was well incorporated with a large quantity of sand, we find them so cemented as to become one folid mass of stone. The Romans availed themselves of this material; and we find their works in as good, and generally in better, preservation here than in most parts of the kingdom. They not only made the interior substance with coarse flints, but afterwards they faced their work with alternate courses of squared flints, as at Burgh castle (Gariononum). This kind of facing after their time became neglected; for the basement of the keep of Norwich castle, although made with slints, and some of them faced, nevertheless they were not squared or laid in regular courses. No material whatever can excel the durability of flints; for we do not find any where an instance of their perishing by frosty or wet weather; and, when squared or laid with care, they are extremely beautiful; in building they have, notwithstanding, but little bond, and depend much upon the mortar cement they are fixed with; for, if wet by any means get behind them, the frost soon levels the work. Many, indeed most, of our churches and public buildings in this county are built almost wholly with this material; but, the most remarkable I have observed, in which flints faced and squared are laid in small regular courses, is the convent gate to Norwich cathedral, which was built in the reign of Edward the First, where the walls to the East and the South have a tracery work formed with free-stone, and the intervals are filled with square flints; and some, about Erpingham's gate, built in penance for Lolardism in the reign of Richard the Second. The chapel of the Virgin Mary on the South side of St. Michael's Costany church, which is indeed a master-piece (where, the stone tracery is so beautifully filled with black flints as to resemble such old cabinets as we sometimes fee inlaid with ivory), was built about the year 1500; and a building in St. Andrew's parish, which is recorded as a very rare and beautiful piece of slint work, built in 1403 by William Appleyard, who was the first mayor, and served the office in this house which was afterwards sold to the corporation, and is the present bridewell. Many country churches have been also built in this way, as at Cromer, &c. in Norfolk, and many in Suffolk and Essex, The art of squaring the flints in this curious manner is now almost totally neglected, though I am convinced it might very soon be brought to perfection again, from the facility I observed the workmen acquire by a little practice in repairing under my superintendance in Bishop Bagot's time a tower belonging to the palace.