Page:VCH London 1.djvu/111

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ROMANO-BRITISH LONDON to be due to the builders finding the filled-up bed of an ancient stream and carrying the base down for greater security in the soft soil. At the normal height above, the bastion was probably made solid like the others. As the operations are still proceeding, further discoveries may here be brought to light. ^'^ About ICO ft. south of the angle bastion (Plan C, 4S) the wall reaches the site of Newgate, beneath the foundations of which very satisfactory evidences of a Roman gate have been found. When the old buildings on the north side were pulled down in 1875 to widen the street, Loftus Brock noted some Roman masonry among the later walls of Newgate, and the projection of these from the City wall led him to conclude that they were connected with an early gate " (Plan C, 49). Evidence of a clearer nature, however, was revealed on the south side of Newgate when the old prison was destroyed to give place to the new Sessions House in 1903—4. A very full description of these important discoveries was given by Mr. Philip Norman to the Society of Anti- quaries." Under the north frontage of the new Sessions House some Roman tScaCe of Tetl ,30 to JO 60 90 90 A Old Thames gravel and brick earth D Red sandstone plinth H Surface level when Roman gate was B Flint and clay puddling of Roman E Clay and ragstone puddling under built City wall Roman gate, 4 ft. loin. I Natural surface on which the City C Substructure of City wall F Mortar and Ragstone, 2 ft. wall rests G Plinth of Oolite J Present surface level Fig. 21. — Roman Newgate. Elevation and Plan from Remains Discovered (upper portion conjectural) "*■ The Roman ditch of the City wall has lately been found at several points on this site, and also at America Square. At both these localities it was of a precisely similar character to that noticed at New Broad Street (see above, p. 58). Occurring at these widely-separated points, it may safely be concluded that this feature followed the entire course of the wall (Fig. i 3). " Journ. Brit. Arch. Assoc, xxxi, 76, 80, 210 ; xxxii, 385-7 ; Arch. Journ. xxxii, 327, 328, 477. " Arch. lix. I 65 9