THE intent of this Treatise is to oblige the curious in the Antiquities of Britain: it is an account of places and things from inspection, not compiled from others’ labours, or travels in one’s study. I own it is a work crude and hasty, like the notes of a traveller that stays not long in a place; and such it was in reality. Many matters I threw in only as hints for further scrutiny, and memorandums for myself or others: above all, I avoided prejudice, never carrying any author along with me, bu

Of the Craons , Credon , Crodon , Croun , the most illustrious family of Anjou, and one of the most illustrious in France, which came into England with William the Conqueror. The barony of Craon is the first and most considerable in Anjou: it is a small city in that province upon the river Oudon near Bretagne, encompassed with walls. [24] The site of Roushall, where the barons Ros lived, is in the parish of Fishtoft. In Wainfleet church, the bishop of Winchester, whose name was Patten, founder o

The many hours I have spent with you when I first began to cast my eyes upon the scenes of the world, and consider things about me, recur to my mind with pleasure. I should be ungrateful then, (to which my temper is most abhorrent) and I should deny myself a particular satisfaction, did I not acknowledge the remembrance of a friendship now mature: therefore to you I offer the earliest fruits of it, this small account of the first pleasurable journey I can reckon to myself, where I had opportunit

TO you of right I inscribe this journey, to which your company and my inclination to see somewhat of the world allured me. I had conceived great notions of the old Britons betimes, and longed to hear at least a language spoke soon after the deluge; and I then prided myself as much as Cæsar formerly in making this small inroad into their country. I willingly take this occasion of recognizing how I ought to esteem it a happiness, that you chanced to be seated in a place so near that of my nativity

TO you, Sir, that have visited the boasted remains of Italy, and other transmarine parts, it would seem presumptuous to offer the trifle of the following letter, were I not sufficiently apprized of your great humanity and candour, which prompts you to encourage even the blossoms of commendable studies. You, that have made an intimate search, and happily obtained a thorough insight into Nature, consider that she proceeds regularly by successive gradations from little things to greater. The acquis

THE journey I here present your lordship is intirely Roman; for I went from London full northward to the banks of the Humber, upon the famous Hermen-street road, passing through Lincoln: then coasting about a little, at Lincoln again I took the Foss way to its intersection of the Watling-street in Warwickshire: upon that I returned back to London, and pursued it to the sea-coasts of Kent: likewise some part of the Icening-street, as it crosses the others, where it lay not too far out of my main

THERE was no kind of civil edifice, or public work, more frequent among the Romans, in Italy or the conquered provinces, than such as related to sports and games; for that brave and wise people both judged and found that method well calculated to bring over the nations to their own language and customs, being agreeable contrivances that seemed rather pleasure and delight than compulsion. Such were theatres, circs, amphitheatres, stadia , and the like. There were three amphitheatres in the city o

ACCORDING to my promise, I send you what I observed of the solar eclipse, though I fear it will not be of any great use to you. I was not prepared with any instruments for measuring time, or the like, and proposed to myself only to watch all the appearances that Nature would present to the naked eye on so remarkable an occasion, and which generally are overlooked, or but grosly regarded. I chose for my station a place called Haradon hill, two miles eastward from Amsbury, and full east from the o

THIS inscription, as curious as any that has yet been discovered in Britain, was found, the beginning of last April, at Chichester, in digging a cellar under the corner house of St. Martin’s lane, on the north side, as it comes into North-street. It lay about four foot under ground, with the face upwards: by which it had the misfortune to receive a great deal of damage from the picks of the labourers, as they endeavoured to raise it; for, besides the defacing of several letters, what was here di

These being all of the higher empire, and many excellently well cut, indicate that they were hid early, and perhaps about this time, that the Watling-street was made: they were found in a hole in the fields between Loughborow and the Watling-street, with about a dozen more than here described. Wickliff lived at Lutterworth, his picture in the parsonage. Mr. Button of Kimcote, near here, a curious man. Wickliff’s pulpit still left. A petrifying spring at Lutterworth. These being all of the higher