evidence of Roman activity on the southern side of the rim across Knot Mill Ford in Hulme sufficient to show their presence. First, we have Whitaker's statement of the water mill, opposite Markland's check manufactory at Mount Pleasant (occupied in 1772 by John Wallford), at the top of Jackson's Lane, immediately on the left side of the Chester road. The same authority relates the discovery of a Samian bowl, stamped Advocisi; of an amphora, stamped Vabeo; of an unglazed pitcher, stamped Nonovi, and another Samian bowl, stamped Of. A. Ascui. We also have the fragmentary centurial stone, inscribed Coh. I. Fris., found south of the Medlock. Then there is the tile tomb found (1832) on the same side, and no doubt, according to Roman custom, located on the side of the Roman road, and the three sculptured stones dug up (1821) in Hulme, 6 feet deep, out of the river gravel (sub-soil),[1] which I consider to have been here in their original situ. I have only recorded the few instances specially noted and known, which mere accident has preserved; but it is clear that there must have been numberless finds of whose existence no notice has been taken. Roman antiquaries by some unfortunate infatuation, partly due to a
- ↑ Found on the exact line of the road to Chester and a few hundred yards to the southwards from the station at Castlefield, viz., near Jackson's Lane, or Great Jackson Street. It is known to have been usual for the Romans to erect, without the boundaries of the stations, where they were in garrison, votive altars, and centurial and other stones to the honour of favourite deities and in commemoration of events. The idea that all the above objects should have been carried to the Hulme side, viz., 400 yards to 500 yards away, is preposterous. One of them resembles No. 169, page 79, described in Professor Haverfield's Catalogue of the Roman and Inscribed Stones in the Grosvenor Museum, Chester, 1900, which at the present he considers safest to class as sepulchral. The three stones occurred close together in the same spot, the tile tomb is in the same place, so that we must infer them to be all sepulchral commemorative stones. The full inscription and tenour of the Frisian centurial stone, also found here, has never been made out. (See Plates.)
