Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 4.djvu/166

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTELLIGENCE.


during the demolition of the Castle Hill at Worcester, resembling this in its bifid point, but the head, which is not perforated, is formed of stone, or vitrified paste.

"A large number of Roman brass coins have been found all along the line at Droitwich, some previously to, and others during the cuttings, particularly in "Bays Meadow," and in that part called "The Vines," which is a high ridge, on the northern side of the river Salwarp, well exposed to the sun, and very suitable for a vineyard[1]: possibly it may have been so used even by the Romans, or in later times by the brethren of the friary of St. Augustine, in Wich,or Doderhill, or by the prior and convent of Worcester, who possessed considerable property there[2].

"The Roman coins which have been found at Droitwich amount to a considerable number. I have seen about fifty in the hands of different persons; and among them were brass coins of Hadrian, Gallienus, Claudius H., several of Carausius, and Constantius. I have also examined a collection belonging to a gentleman, late of Droitwich, now resident at Worcester, which includes coins of Maximian, Carausius, Constantius, Licinius, Constantino, Crispus, Magnentius, Valens, and Gratian, and about sixteen others which I cannot decipher. He states that most of them were from time to time found at "The Vines," when that part was used as gardens. And it may be remarked, that on the side of an elevation called "Pigeon House Hill," by Longbridge, at the north end of Bromsgrove Lickey, which is on or near the supposed line of the Upper Saltway from Droitwich to Birmingham, seventeen Roman coins were found, now in the possession of the same gentleman, and I have identified the following: Claudius II., Dioclesian, Maximian, Constantius, Constantino, and one on which may be read, Constantinopolis.

"From all these facts we now have abundant evidence of Roman occupation at Droitwich, which heretofore had been only matter of conjecture. Dr. Nash remarks, in his account of Droitwich, ' This town was probably known to the Romans. In the Map published by Mr. Bertram of Copenhagen, and prefixed to the ' Britannicarum gentium historiæ antiquæ scriptores,' it is noticed by the name of SaliiKe, though some imagine the Salinæ of the ancients means Sandy, or Salndy, in Bedfordshire, or perhaps some of the Lancashire or Cheshire Wiches[3].'

"The question remains for investigation, whether the salt springs at Droitwich were known to, and worked by, the ancient Britons. Although we have not as yet found any relics in proof that they were, yet it may be

    Castle Hill is figured in Mr. Allies' Antiquities, p. 84.

  1. ↑ It is stated that formerly it had several terraces running along it one above another.
  2. ↑ There are a great many fields and other places in Worcestershire called by the name of "vineyard," and it has been supposed by some writers that the Romans planted vineyards in Britain. See Dr. Nash's notice of the above-mentioned place, called "the Vines," in his History of Worcestershire, vol. i. p. 307. The subject of the culture of the vine in Britain is discussed at length in the papers by Pegge and Daines Barrington, Archæologia, vol. i. p. 321 ; vol. iii. p. 67.
  3. ↑ History of Worcestershire, vol. i. p. 302.
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