Kinderton, in Cheshire, by Northwich, Stretford, Old Trafford, crossing the highway between Manchester and Warrington, and by Preston and Garstang to Lancaster, whence there was another highway connecting it with the station at Overborough, 12 miles distant. Whitaker infers that it corresponded with the present road from Lancaster to Kirkby Lonsdale bridge, some two miles to the north of the Roman station at Overborough. But this is not quite correct. There was no Roman road at the Devil's Bridge. Indeed, old inhabitants affirm that there were formerly abundant indications of what seemed to have been a sort of timber bridge over the Lune immediately opposite the site of the "old city," and that large solid blocks of hewn oak used to be taken out of the river bed at this point. It looks, therefore, as if there had been communication with the other side of the river much nearer the Roman garrison than the Devil's Bridge; the latter being of Norman origin.

The site of the station is unquestionably an admirable one, and displays in an eminent degree the military and strategical sagacity, not so much of the artful, experienced Romans, who were simply the impropriators, as of their rude, brave predecessors, the native Britons, who, in spite of all shortcomings, had doubtless a more exact knowledge and appreciation of the surface characteristics of the landscape than even we have at the present day. We are accustomed to speak of them as untutored savages, but the old Britons were wise enough in a good many things, and, indeed, in more ways than we yet know of. Agricola, however, who is said to have seized the fortress and superintended in person its construction, no doubt recognised the superior advantage of such a situation. It occupies a triangular neck of land, sufficiently elevated, without much exposure, being shaped by the confluence of the Leck with the Lune, which streams have formed the natural defences of the station. Rauthmel furnishes an extended description of its area and several parts, along with a sectional plan of the fortress, which, however, it is plain, are largely fictitious.

In Camden's time there is reason to believe, from the little he says, that the papilos, or stone barrack-houses, were standing, although in ruins, yet at the time our author made his survey, 156 years afterwards, scarcely a vestige remained, yet he is bold enough to furnish us with an exact sketch of their position and number. But no doubt can exist that the configuration of the enclosed portion of the station was that of a rectilinear, or in the usual form of Roman castramentation, defended by a rampart of earth and stone, and surrounded with a fosse and bank or agger. While on or near the site of the present mansion was the prætorium, or general's tent, as evidenced by the remains of tessellated pavements found on this part.

The importance of the station at Overborough, and the manner of its garrison, are in some measure indicated by the author of the Notitia, who says that there was a præfect over a numerus of soldiers, called defensores,-Præfectus numeri defensorum Braboniaco, which defensores seem to have been veterans, or hardy old soldiers of long and tried experience, who were in time of distress requisitioned to defend the walls of a town or station, and who also acted as auxiliaries for the relief of the ordinary troops while in the pursuit of an enemy, which, often gaining confidence by the diminished energy of these less hardy trainbands, was at once fallen upon by these powerful rear-guardsmen or defensores, and routed or cut to pieces.

The following are among the antiquities recovered from this station. A complete stone altar, the discovery of which is somewhat significant. It was erroneously attributed by Rauthmel as a votive shrine of the pagan god Mogon, but the learned Dr. Pegge has rightly interpreted it from our author's version of the inscription, as an altar consecrated to the Sabine deity Sango, or Sancus, which, being the same as Hercules, was a proper deity for a soldier to honour. The inscription is this,DEO. SAN GO. N. TR

which interpreted at length is, Deo. Sango. Numerius. Trebius. Atta Posuit. On one side of the altar is the figure of a bird,- -not EBIVS AT an owl, as Rauthmel conjectured, but the Sangualis Avis, or TA. POSV., osprey, which bird was under the protection of this renowned deity. The stone also bore two carvings in relief of an axe and sacrificial knife. The next notable relic discovered was an aurea bulla, or hollow ball of pure gold, found by Miss Fenwick, a daughter of the first proprietor of Burrow Hall. It is thought to be the only object of this description yet discovered in Britain, although they have been not uncommonly met with among remains of Roman antiquity abroad. They were heart-shaped and worn round the neck by young Roman patricians as incitements to valour, ere deeming themselves worthy of the fair hand of love. This precious ornament was doubtless dropped by some enamoured youthful noble while in attendance on his royal master in the prætorium, where it had lain concealed a period of probably not less than 16 centuries. This station, it may here be observed, is known to have been visited by several successive emperors, from the time of Agricola's occupation, namely, Septimus Severus, Geta, and Antoninus Caracalla, the latter of whom passed through Craven, and remained some little time at Bremetonaca, between the period of his cruel usurpation of power in A.D. 212, and his assassination in A.D. 217.

Other objects found about here were a patera, or shallow platter of baked clay; a guttus, or wine-jug, used on occasions of sacrifice; a glein neidoreth, “snakestone," or Druid's amulet* (found on the Roman road south of Overborough); a very fine stone hammer (British) dug up near Cantsfield; a fragment of an uninscribed altar, bearing only a centurial mark; and a singularly interesting copper medal of Flavius Vespasian, inscribed on the obverse Imp. Caes. Vespas— PMT. RP. Cos. VIII. (i.e. Eighth Consul, A.D. 79), which, found in the ramparts of the fortress, apparently agrees with the narrative of Tacitus regarding the conquest of the Western Brigantes (¿.e. Craven, Lancashire, Westmoreland, and Cumberland) in that year, and the foundation of the several stations along his line of march. Some curious references to these "charmed" stones, which were regarded with a great deal of superstition in old times, are given by Wm. Bray in his Tour in Derbyshire, 2nd ed. (1783), pp. 216-18.

Nothing has been discovered on the site since Rauthmel's day excepting a single uncovered earthern vessel, resembling a Roman funeral urn, but unfortunately it got broken by the spade while digging in the lawn in front of Burrow Hall. This was in the early part of the present century.

But we must now leave this classic neighbourhood, and, going by the Deer Park, cross the picturesque Leck bridge, with its old dated stones (A.D. 1735) and shortly arrive at a point where a boundary stone indicates that we are stepping from Lancashire into Westmoreland, and whence a field-path shortens the distance to the Devil's Bridge, described in the last chapter. The river-dale aspects here along are very beautiful, while the high, red roofs of Lunefield, the pleasant seat of Alfred Harris, Esq., J.P., stand out conspicuously in the distance. The house, which was re-erected about twenty years ago from designs by Mr. Alfd. Waterhouse, A.R.A., occupies a broad, elevated terrace, overlooking the Lune to the south, and surrounded by luxuriant gardens, green, velvety lawns, and ample conservatories, which greatly enhance the beauty of the place. The property, it may be remarked, was purchased by Mr. Harris, the present owner, in 1868, from the Rev. Canon Carus, of Winchester, whose family had been long seated here.

We now end our pleasant excursion at the ancient town of Kirkby Lonsdale, the "Lowton" of Jane Eyre, mentioned a few pages back.

CHAPTER XXVI.

KIRKBY LONSDALE AND NEIGHBOURHOOD.

Earthworks and tumulus-Kirkby Lonsdale a Danish town-Past and present aspects-Old inns-Origin of market-The parish church-Underley Hall— The celebrated view from the churchyard-Lovely scenery-Casterton Woods -Old corn-mill-Casterton village and church-Roman highway.

F course, every visitor who comes to Kirkby Lonsdale sees the fine old church,-one of the most interesting monuments of antiquity in this part of the country,-and the celebrated view from the churchyard, which has been so much admired by Mr. Ruskin, and which comprises, unquestionably, the beau ideal of a thoroughly English landscape.

Saving the beauty of the neighbourhood, there is not much else of interest at Kirkby Lonsdale. But near Cathridding, about 3 miles to the north-west of the town, there is a large circular earthwork, which is probably Danish, as the eminence on which it is constructed is called Sweyn Shaw, although this name may be of later origin. When the moor was enclosed, a good stone quern, or hand-corn mill, was dug up near it, which may be a relic of the previous Brigantian occupation, as the British word Cath (a fortification) apparently denotes. The Danes, however, were undoubtedly settled in the locality, as the name Kirkby plainly indicates a Danish town where a Saxon church stood. On the north side of the vicarage there is a large tumulus called Cockpit Hill, perhaps a relic of that eventful era.

But the good old town of Kirkby Lonsdale has witnessed many changes since the day when the hardy Saxons and piratical Danes first set foot on the place. In recent times it has been largely modernised, and along a portion, at any rate, of its main thoroughfare, there is a neat and characteristic look of genteel newness. But in this avenue, not so very long ago, might have been seen many a quaint and curious bit of mediæval architecture, to wit the pent-roofs and arcaded porticos, such as still linger in some old English towns. But only a single example remains now. Our ambitious north-country towns and villages, many of which by their pleasing glimpses of old-time stone and wood work, carried us back even beyond the days of the Roses, have gradually lost

almost every mark of historic individuality, and are fast becoming as like each other as a row of new pins. Hardly anything, indeed, has survived this ruthless onslaught of unsparing "progress" but the old churches, and these, too, have suffered more or less severely.

That the town has been a place of bustling importance in former days is apparent as one glances up at the long cavalcade of painted signboards, descriptive of a variety of creatures and objects, which follow each other in showy procession along the main street. Some of these inns are doubtless very old, and date long anterior to the palmy coaching days. For inasmuch as Kirkby Lonsdale has been a market town from the far-distant year 1227 A.D., and every Thursday for now approaching seven centuries, its market has been held, and its traders doubtless have found a temporary lodgment at one or other of its public houses of entertainment. But it must not be supposed that any of these early hostelries exist here yet, although there are one or two, which both inside and out, evidence some antiquity, but we are not going to believe quite, as an old native once gravely informed us, that they were "built by Julius Cæsar." The old market-cross, I should remark, has been removed to an obscure corner near the church, and the markets are now held in the square, opposite the Royal hotel, which was formed soon after the terrible fire there in the winter of 1820; the tragic consequences whereof, so often told, are recorded in the churchyard.

The parish church of St. Mary is a venerable pile, and from the Domesday name of the town, Cherchebi, there is plain proof of its preNorman parentage. The oldest portions of the present structure date from about A.D. 1120, and these in the interior include the west arches of the nave. The southern and western doorways are also of this date, and have receding cylindrical columns with moulded capitals, supporting circular arches of various and rich designs. But these early carvings, which are in bold relief, have become much decayed from exposure to the weather. The capitals and columns of the nave of this period are beautifully wrought, and some of the work looks as perfect as when first chiselled. These pillars are very similar in design to those in the Cathedral at Durham. The chancel and remaining parts of the church are of various later dates. The tower was rebuilt, as indicated upon a stone beneath the west window, in 1705. The interior, which contains. numerous monuments and exquisite examples of stain-glass, is very spacious and lofty. Its greatest length is 122 feet, and width 100 feet. In 1807 the ancient leaded roof of the church was removed, and in 1866 the old south porch was taken down and rebuilt. This would seem to have been private property, as upon a wooden tablet (inscribed C. W., 1668) now kept in the vestry, the aspiring owner, or some zealous admirer (or perhaps it was a combined effort) we hope we shall be