DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13856#0015
National Safe Deposit Company's premises.
9
worthy of each, other. The huilding is a handsome domicile for a business of
great public utility; but, not only so, it has in the course of its construction
opened out a mine of vastly interesting archseological wealth. In completing in
an appropriate manner what may be called the heart of new London, the
Company have disinterred the heart of old London, and have had it submitted to
scientific examination. The result will be seen in the following description of the
discoveries made, which indicates at the same time the importance of the contri-
bution which our works have rendered to existing knowledge concerning Roman
London and its inhabitants.
Of the numerous excavations which commercial enterprise has of late
years rendered necessary in the City of London few have possessed greater
antiquarian attractions than the works which, since the autumn of last year,
have been steadily progressing at the north-western corner of Walbrook. It
was well known that to erect a building of the magnitude required by the
National Safe Deposit Company a great depth for the foundation would have
to be attained, and to reach the solid clay a large amount of ancient debris
must be cleared, that a portion of the course once pursued by the stream
of Walbrook would be visible, and, on completion of the works, every trace
of the existence of this particular section of the old watercourse would for
ever be removed. A representation of this to the architect to the Company
secured every opportunity for investigation. The directors granted imme-
diate access, and, assisted by the ever-ready co-operation of Mr. Harry
S. Greaves, clerk of the works, we are enabled to prepare the following
account of observations made, accompanied by illustrative descriptions of
many of the antiquities discovered. In this way it has become possible to
acquire, from unquestionable data, additional facts of interest connected with
the occupation of London in Roman times. It is only to be regretted that
such facilities have not oftener been afforded, in times when the site of our
City was comparatively new to antiquarian research, and when the materials
for the elucidation of its early history were far more plentiful than now. The
greater portion of the information from which antiquarian writers have been
compelled to collect their materials has too often been of a most uncertain
kind; and has in many cases depended on statements of the workmen employed.
Antiquities have (as they still are) been offered to the collector as coming
from certain localities with which they have had no connection whatever.
b*
9
worthy of each, other. The huilding is a handsome domicile for a business of
great public utility; but, not only so, it has in the course of its construction
opened out a mine of vastly interesting archseological wealth. In completing in
an appropriate manner what may be called the heart of new London, the
Company have disinterred the heart of old London, and have had it submitted to
scientific examination. The result will be seen in the following description of the
discoveries made, which indicates at the same time the importance of the contri-
bution which our works have rendered to existing knowledge concerning Roman
London and its inhabitants.
Of the numerous excavations which commercial enterprise has of late
years rendered necessary in the City of London few have possessed greater
antiquarian attractions than the works which, since the autumn of last year,
have been steadily progressing at the north-western corner of Walbrook. It
was well known that to erect a building of the magnitude required by the
National Safe Deposit Company a great depth for the foundation would have
to be attained, and to reach the solid clay a large amount of ancient debris
must be cleared, that a portion of the course once pursued by the stream
of Walbrook would be visible, and, on completion of the works, every trace
of the existence of this particular section of the old watercourse would for
ever be removed. A representation of this to the architect to the Company
secured every opportunity for investigation. The directors granted imme-
diate access, and, assisted by the ever-ready co-operation of Mr. Harry
S. Greaves, clerk of the works, we are enabled to prepare the following
account of observations made, accompanied by illustrative descriptions of
many of the antiquities discovered. In this way it has become possible to
acquire, from unquestionable data, additional facts of interest connected with
the occupation of London in Roman times. It is only to be regretted that
such facilities have not oftener been afforded, in times when the site of our
City was comparatively new to antiquarian research, and when the materials
for the elucidation of its early history were far more plentiful than now. The
greater portion of the information from which antiquarian writers have been
compelled to collect their materials has too often been of a most uncertain
kind; and has in many cases depended on statements of the workmen employed.
Antiquities have (as they still are) been offered to the collector as coming
from certain localities with which they have had no connection whatever.
b*