Page:VCH London 1.djvu/121

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ROMANO-BRITISH LONDON w Beneath the two central semicircular-ended rooms A and B were hypocausts, while most of the floors had tessellated pavements. The walls were mostly built of tiles covered with stucco, and in the soil were found fragments of a stone cornice, a capital of oolite, a quantity of window-glass, many roofing tiles, pottery, &c., together with coins of Nero, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius. At Bush Lane and extending to Cannon Street on the north, and south- wards to Thames Street, was another series of walls, pavements, and other remains of buildings lying at a depth of 20 ft. Some of these walls were of extraordinary thickness, and Roach Smith thought that they indicated a south-eastern boundary with a flanking tower." That this point was defended with special care is very probable, for the position was on the east of the Walbrook near where it joined the Thames. The stream here attained a considerable size, and its mouth formed an important harbour, while it was probably the principal entrance to the City in early times. At Cloak Lane a section across the bed of the stream showed its width at that point to have been 248 ft." During the construction of Cannon Street Railway Station," which is formed over the eastern side of the stream, numerous piles and transverse beams were found, forming a complete network of timber^ some of the beams measuring 18 in. square, the whole having apparently formed the sides of wharves. . . . , i», , . . 1° Taet. tic. 25. — Plan of Roman Building, Lower Thames Street: Site of Coal Exchange a Site plan b Portion of hypocaust, showing pillars of tiles and floor of roofing tiles and mortar A, B Rooms with hypocausts and tes- sellated floorings C, D, E Rooms with tessellated floor- ings built on piles F Flue leading from furnace G Block of masonry H, I, I Flues connecting hypocausts A and B J Scat in wall K Channel of timber L, L Outer walls of tiles M Thick wall of ragstone, probably portion of riverside City wall " Illus. Rom. Lond. 14, 116 ; Lond. and Midd. Arch. Soc. Trans, lii, 213. " Cat. Antij. Roy.Exch. xxvii. " Lond. and Midd. Arch. Soc. Trans, iii, 68. 75