|
|
|
Page 243:-
amongst rocks at the bottom: imagination is left to conceive the
cause of the deep and solemn murmurs beneath.
Our ideas of the beauties of art and nature were mellowed and
refined by those of venerable antiquity. We were now on classic
ground, Overborough being most undoubtedly a Roman station and
garrison - the Bremetonacoe (sic) of the emperor Antoninus, as
may be collected from Tacitus and other ancient writers.
Bremetonacae is placed twenty Roman (or eighteen English) miles
north of Coccium, or Ribchester, and twenty-seven Roman (or
twenty-four English) miles south of Galacum, which some
antiquaries conceive to be Apulby, though others with more
probability think it was Brough: the distances correspond,
besides the additional argument of their being nearly in the same
direction, whether we conceive Galacum to be Apulby or Brough.
The Roman road is easily traced from Ribchester into Yorkshire,
running on the north side of Slaidburn, through Crossa-Greta,
then on the north side of Tatham Chapel, through Bentham, to
Overborough; [1] afterwards the Roman road goes through Casterton
and Middleton, and, as some think, by Borrow-bridge and Orton, to
Apulby. Others, and perhaps from better reasons, are of opinion,
the road went by Sedbergh, or Sedburgh, [2] over Blewcaster,
along Ravenstonedale-street, and through Kirkby-Stephen, to
Brough or Burgh. For Antoninus's tenth Itinerary runs from
Glanoventa or Lanchester, in the county of Durham, by Galacum,
Bremetonacae, Coccium, Mancunium or Manchester, to Glenovento or
Draton, in the county of Salop. In various places by the side of
this road are high artificial mounts of earth, which were without
doubt the stations of centinels, to prevent any insurrections, or
being surprised by an enemy: they may be now seen entire at
Burton-in-Lons-
|
|
|
|
[2]
Chester, or caster, is derived from the Latin word castrum, or
camp. Street is derived from the Latin word stratum, or military
road, or causeway. Borough, or Burgh, from the Greek word burgos,
or watch tower.
|
