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

52 Momcm. Antiquities recently discovered on the site of the

wainer Street "Ward, which is assessed at 2,195Z. 3s. 4d. and in this taxation we
have twenty-five instead of (in 1284) twenty-four wards, the Ward of Cheap
making up the nuniher. For these many reasons we feel justified in concluding
that gradually the bed of our ancient watercourse became dry land, and that at the
end of the thirteenth century its site, with portions from the neighbouring wards,
became the Ward of Cheap. It is aborit this time, we know, that the cross and
conduit are said to have been erected, and from this period the locality became
most important in the enlarged condition of London.

It would be foreign to the purport of the essay did we attempt to pursue the
history of the above mentioned wards, or those liberties and districts which were
included in the full development of the E,oman city. Its circumvallation is
usually ascribed to the reign of Constantino, with subsequent alterations and
completions by Theodosius,* at the close of the fourth century. Of this wall
but little remains ; it pursued a course of which ample record has been preserved
among the writings of mediaeval times, during which period its superstructure
must have often been rebuilt and repaired. Its route may be easily identified
upon our plan. It commenced near the Tower, thence ran northward to the
east end of Leadenball Street, bending towards the north-west, until reaching the
north end of Bishopsgate Street Within it ran westward by Cripplegate to
Aldersgate, and thence to Newgate, continuing by Ludgate along the eastern
bank of the Fleet river to the Thames at Blackfriars; there being probably
at Castle Baynard an external fort similar to that at the Tower in the east.
The existing fragments of this wall are occasionally disclosed; they are few in
number, and each time they are uncovered they are lessened in extent, from
the requisite alterations and requirements of modern buildings. The interest-
ing portion near Tower Hill was exposed a short time since, and near Vine
Street, Minories, a large quantity has been destroyed within the present year.
A section, of which we have sketches, was recently uncovered in the Old
Bailey, but is now effectually blocked in. The interesting bastion known to
exist in Cripplegate churchyard has been fortunately preserved. As regards the
course taken by any earlier wall no information can be gained. It is probable
that one existed from the, known practice of the Romans to thus enclose their
towns and cities, but discoveries which have been made are insufficient to enable
us to define its plan. No certain indications of its existence have been observed

* Instaurabat urbes et prresidiaria, castra, limitesque vigiliis et pretenturis. Amniianus Marcellinus,
28, cap. 3.