Puleston, John Henry: Roman antiquities recently discovered on the site of the National Safe Deposit Company's premises, Mansion House, London (London, 1873)

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Roman Antiquities recently discovered on the site of the

and a portion of the civic liberties similar to that extending on the north to
Norton Folgate, or on the west to Temple Bar. These liberties can be identified
upon the plan: they form the additions to the original boundaries of the City.
That commencing west of the Meet river runs by the north bank of the Thames
to Middle Temple Lane, then north to Temple Bar, and so along Shire Lane and
Bell Yard into Chancery Lane by the Liberty of the Bolls, and thence to Holborn
Bars. Hence through Brook Street, Purnivall's Inn, Leather Lane, Hatton
Garden and West Street, to the Fleet Ditch, whence it turns westward to Cow
Cross Street, and then to Smithfield Bars. It afterwards runs between Long
Lane and Charterhouse Lane to Goswell Street, whence it extends across Golden
Lane, Whitecross Street, and Grub Street, to Moorgate, and along the north
side of Moorfields, dividing the City Liberty from the Manor of Mnsbury, a great
part of which was formerly held by the Corporation by virtue of a lease granted
by the Prebendary of Haliwell and Mnsbury. The line of separation then runs
northward by Norton Colgate, and from thence through Spitalfields and Went-
worth Street to Whitechapel. It passes by the Little Minories to Goodman's
Melds, whence it returns westward to the Minories, meeting the wall at the
Tower Liberty.* Portsoken "Ward, as defined upon the map, lies on the east
side of the last-erected wall of the city, and is indeed a part of the great Pomosrium
which was attached to the territory of Londinium. The Boman Pomoerium was
not necessarily extramural,! it was a space upon either side the wall or boundary
reaching to such an extent that the houses would not be joined to it on the inside
as they commonly are, but arranged for a space without, free from human
occupation. It was a limit consecrated by the augurs, and it was unlawful
either to cultivate or inhabit it 4

* See Vestiges of Old London, by the late J. W". Archer.

f The Pomffirium within the City served the purpose of allowing a free circulation for the inhabitants
and protection for the military in time of war. This intervening space is to be observed in most of our
walled towns. At Canterbury it has been noticed by Professor Willis in his admirable paper upon the
Monastery of Christchurch. He writes : " In ^peaceful intervals this passage was apt to be encroached
upon by houses or gardens, and in later times portions of such lanes have been appropriated, so as to.
destrov the continuity of the circuit, which was rendered no longer necessary by the changes in military
tactics." He adds, that " in the modern plans of Canterbury this line can be distinguished along the
inside of the city wall."—Archceologia Cantiana, vol. 7.

J See Livy, c. 44 ; see also Julius Frontinus, Lachman, 17, for the following description of the
Ponicerium : " De jure territorii controversia est, cum quidam privatorum, aut pomerium ejus urbis
privatis operibus inverecunde vult pervadere, aut cumarare et de locis publicis', hoc est ad ipsam urbem
pertinentibus, quidam privatorum usurpare tentaverit. Pomerium autem urbis est, quod ante muros spatium