Britain. There are no Remains of the Castle; but from the Eminence and Convenience of its Situation, it was excellently adapted to overlook the Aratores in tilling the Ground, and the Meffores in reaping and gathering in the Harveft: For which reafon it was probably the [e] Castellum of a Præfectus Annonæ, or Frumenti. Not a Roman Stadium to the Weft, there is a very uncouth Declivity, and a Pit, where, no doubt, was the Fornax calcaria, to make Lime for building the Cafle; the Soil being Chalk, and the Field called to this Day, according to the Saxon Tranflation, CYLN FELD, KILN-FIELD. Towards the Eaft ftands an Edifice emphatically called the Fornax: Here was erected a Fornax Lateraria, as appears from the Excavations in many Parts about it, (now converted into Fish-ponds), and from the broken Roman Tegula and Lateres, found frequently in the adjacent Fields. Part of the Parish Church is manifeftly Roman, but how much larger the Structure was, and for what Ufe, is not fo apparent: Perhaps, as it lies upon the [f] Via Icenorum, it was a Horreum, or Granary; which Suppofition is much strengthened by its fubfequent Ufe; for nothing could have induced the good Bishop to fuffer a Heathen Building to be converted into a Chriftian Church, but that [f] Ant. Itin. [e] Rofin, Antiquit. particular particular Circumftance of its having been a Repofitory for Wheat; that Grain being so often made ufe of fymbolically to fignify fomething much better. The Parfonage House, encompaffed by a Moat, is an ancient, though not a Roman Building; but but it is not without fome extraneous Ornaments of Roman Architecture, pick'd up perhaps from the Ruins of the [g] Temple erected to Claudius, which poffibly stood in the fame place, surrounded with [b] Water for the Convenience of Sacrificing. In a Cornice of exquifite Workmanship, there is a large Roman C, and fome imperfect Figures of the Date V. C. but the Ignorance of fome modern Inhabitant has defaced it, either by prefixing the initial Letter of his own Chriftian Name, or by giving a ridiculous Tail to another Roman C, (infcribed perhaps C. C. Claudius Cæfar) and fo converting it into G; whom, upon searching the Parish Register, I take to have been the simple Rector, one George Carter. In a Garden of modern Difpofition belonging to the Parfonage, formerly called the Orchard, stands a Grecian Temple, built according to the Model Andronicus Cyrrefies gave to the Athenians. It is an Octogon, fupported by eight Ionic Pillars; which Order being facred to Bacchus, Apollo, Ceres, and Diana, it was, no doubt, dedicated to one of thofe Deities; and moft probably to Ceres, as it is furrounded by fome very rich Land, and looks over a [g] Tac. Dion. [b] Erafm. Adag. very very fertile Country; it being cuftomary to build Temples in the Places most agreeable to the Deities. There is an Infcription upon the Entablature of one of the Pillars, that indeed puts it paft all Difpute; for, though defaced in fome Letters, it is most easy to fill it up with the Name, &c. of that Deity, FPEPIS SVNT OMNIA MVNVS, (i. e.) CERERIS SUNT OMNIA MUNUS [i]. Some learned Antiquaries are of Opinion, that this Temple among other Spoils of Greece, was brought to Rome, and afterwards transported to Britain, and placed where it now ftands, by Claudius Cæfar: But there is one fatal Objection to this Account, and that is the Latin Infcription upon it; for Claudius was a Scholar, understood Greek, and valued Antiquities, and would not have been guilty of fuch an Inconfiftency as to write in Latin upon an ancient Grecian Building: It is therefore much more probable, that this Temple was built here according to the Grecian Order, and dedicated and infcribed at the fame time it was erected. It ftands upon a very high Hill, open to the [k] rifing Sun, and the Frontifpiece is placed towards the Weft, according to the Custom of moft Nations, who worshiped upon the [7] Tops of Mountains, with their Faces to the [i] Sunt pro fumus. I cannot but obferve the great Ingenuity of Claudius in his Choice of this Verfe from Ovid. It is not pick'd up, like modern Quotations, from Paflages, in all Respects but the mere Words, foreign to the Subject; but is taken from a folemn Invocathe very Deity to whom the Temple is dedicated. tion upon [Archbishop Potter Lycoph, advers, 42. Eaft. Eaft. Near this Temple grow Oak, Yew, and Box Trees, planted there with a View to repair, or refit the Deity within; for we are told that, amongst the ancient Greeks, their Statues were made of [m] Wood, and that [n] Cyprefs, Cedar, Oak, Afh, Yew, and Box Trees were used for that Purpofe. Felices populi, quorum nafcuntur in hortis Numina. This Temple is made of Wood and Plaister, and therefore cannot be fuppofed to be the identical Temple firft erected here; though the Orders have: been very exactly preferved; but, like the Royal Sovereign, [] has been built and rebuilt till scarce a Plank is left of the original Structure. The Pavement is teffellated, Mufaic, corruptly called Mofaic Work. There were many imperfect Letters and Words upon fome Scamna, or Benches, difpofed in different Parts of the Garden, which more than hints to us that obfcene God Priapus had a Statue erected to him in one of the Fruit Quarters; for the Priapeia Carmina have le haut Goût de Salaceté, which difcriminates them from all other Carmina whatever. The Modefty of modern Times has refolved the Doubt, Cum faber incertus Scamnum, faceretne Priapum, in favour of Decency, by converting, and as it were returning the inutile lignum to its native Purposes; [m] Plutarch, [n] Paufan. [] Burch, Nav. Hift. and and I wish the Learned of Modern Times alfo had been able to read, because it would certainly have erafed the filthy Infcriptions: However, I have had Intereft enough to prevail with the prefent Poffeffor, upon convincing him of their Obscenity, by the Help of a Dictionary, to demolish them all. No Traces, no legible Appendages of this beaftly Deity remain in the Garden. The fame cannot be affirmed of the Villa; for the Affes, which were at first introduced to furnish out a conftant Supply of Victims to him, are now, upon the Ceffation of annual Maffacres, fo increased as to be Nufances to the whole Neighbourhood; and unless some other friendly Cause of the fame Sacrifices be invented to reduce their Number, they will, 'tis feared, in time over-run the whole Kingdom. The Nakedness of the Boys and Girls, who are the Formido avium at certain Seafons of the Year, I do not confider as a Tincture of Priapism, or want of Modefty, but real Want of Cloathing. In a fhady and obfcure Part of the fame Garden, there remains very entire a Gothic Arch, built with black Flints, and directly over the Center of the Arch is placed an Angel, in a full-bottom'd Wig, cloathed with a Vestment of many Foids, tied together by a Bandage, not unlike what our Clergy call a Safh, with Wings fully expanded, bearing, and, as it were, prefenting with both Hands, a Shield Pearl, a Feffe Sable, between three [p] Garbes Or, [p] Garbe is a Sheaf of Corn. Pofito ad caput ejus frumenti manipulo, quem patria lingua Sheaf (Sceaf) dicimus, Gallice vero Garbam. M. Weftm. |