Journal of the British Archaeological Association (Volume 46) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1890. Excerpt: ... 227 NOTES OF EXCAVATIONS MADE AT WALL BY THE LATE COLONEL BAGNELL. BY J. T. IRVINE, ESQ. Read 16 May 1888.) In the autumn of last year, on the occasion of the visit of the Archaeological Society to Wolverhampton, some excavations were made on a part of the site of Etocetum, in a field to the west of the church called "The Butts," and in which some small portion of Roman masonry and concrete, made of stones and mortar, can be seen above tne surface. The excavations were carried on in the lower part of the above named field. Several chambers were discovered, about 6 ft. square; and on removing the rubbish which filled up the space between the walls, and which was about 4 or 5 ft. deep, a large quantity of roof-tiles and common pottery--some blue, some red, and some whitish yellow--were found; one piece with letters on; some with lines on; also a brick, --one fragment with p.s. on it; on others the marks of thumb and two fingers; also bones of the deer, ox, and pig. At the bottom of each chamber was a layer of charcoal and fragments of Bangor slate, many being perforated with holes to admit the nails which fastened them to the rafters and beams, now reduced by fire to charcoal. With these slates a great number of the above-named iron nails were found. Some circular earthen pipes, similar to the modern drain-pipes, about l in. diameter, were also discovered. Possibly these foundations were the ruins of baths. The mortar used here is made of lime from Walsall. The excavations were continued subsequently higher up in the same field, where many other walls were found, which appeared to be the position of a large number of small apartments of about the same dimensions as those before referred to were found. Here articles of the same description as those befo...