Page:Roman Manchester (1900) by Charles Roeder.djvu/137

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ROMAN MANCHESTER RE-STUDIED.
85

Flue Tiles were used in the hypocaust and have been fully described by Whitaker. The tile of the 20th Legion, and the two referring to the 3rd Cohort of the Bracaræ, are irrecoverably lost. Another inscribed tile, found inside the castrum, was most unfortunately snatched up last year by a man shortly before my arrival, and I have in vain tried to find the appropriator. Of the great number of tiles, in consequence of their fragmentary state, not a single one was lettered to give us some additional information about the garrison.

Mineral Coal.—Often found by me, also by Whitaker, in large deposits at the eastern side of the station. I have also the burnt shale from the Roman soil.

Charcoal (probably prepared from the oak) all over the area.

Iron Scoriæ, sometimes the charcoal imbedded in it, quite common.

other finds.

British blackware, at Cathedral Street.

Flint scrapers, below Roman surface on the north side of the station, Bridgewater Street.

Broken flint flake, Cathedral churchyard.

Large monolith, 6 feet high, 30 inches wide, of brown sandstone, below the Roman surface on the north side of the station at Bridgewater Street. Unfortunately, I omitted to examine it for any scorings or markings. The stone is not derived from the locality and is a "stranger." Its source I cannot trace, as it differs from local sandstone of the coal measures. It lay on the river gravel, and had to be lifted with pulleys for its heaviness and great size.