1854 John Smith, Esq.
1855 W. H. Brown, Esq.
1856 Major French.
1857 Peter Eaton, Esq.
1858 P. S. Humberston, Esq.
CHAPTER II.
ROMAN ANTIQUITIES.
Altars, Roman pavements, pigs of lead, coins, and other precious relics of former times, have been discovered in various places in the city and neighbourhood, some of them within a very recent period. Now that the people are happily being taught to estimate local antiquities at their proper worth, and a spirit of inquiry is being invoked respecting them, it is to be hoped that any future discoveries that may be made will be carefully preserved. There is no doubt that, through recklessness or ignorance, many links in the chain of our local history have been neglected and lost.
On a projecting rock in Handbridge, situate at the south end of the bridge, is a sculptured figure of Minerva, with her symbol, the owl. Time has very much obliterated and defaced this ancient sculpture, called Edgar’s Cave, which is doubtless of Roman date. Close to the figure is a great hole in the rock; and the field in which it is situated is known by the name of Edgar’s field to the present day.
In the year 1653 an altar, supposed to have been dedicated to Jupiter, was dug up in Foregate-street, and which is preserved among the Arundelian marbles at Oxford. The back of it is plain: on the sides of it there are neatly sculptured a Patera, a cup which was used in their libations; and a Thuribulum, or censer for burning incense. The inscription, when perfect, was—
I . O . M . TANARO
T . ELVPIVS . GALER
PRAESENS . GUNTA
PRI . LEG . XX . V . V
COMMODO . ET . LATERANO
COS
V . S . L . M.