[57] The chalk ends about two miles north of Baldoc and Royston.
[58] The market-place at Royston is a large square area, seemingly of Roman design.
[59] Probably Roisia, wife to Pagan de Beauchamp, Baron 3d of Bedford, who built the castle of Bedford about the time of the Conquest.
[60] May 15, 1732, I rode between Huntingdon and Cambridge, and discovered evidently that it was a Roman road all the way, pointing strait from Godmanchester to Cambridge castle. When I told this to Mr. Roger Gale, then at Cotenham, he said, he had observed that Roman road which lies on Gogmagog hills to point likewise upon Cambridge castle; so that the ford at Cambridge river is originally Roman: and undoubtedly there was a Roman town at Cambridge, for the conveniency of passengers and armies between the Iceni and the northern parts beyond Huntingdon. I apprehend Chesterton and Grantchester were Roman forts and repositories of corn from this country, to be sent to Peterborough, and so by the Cardike into the north: and from the bridge at Cambridge, Bridge street and St. Andrew’s street are continuations, in a very strait line and direction, of the Roman road.
July, 1742, Mr. collector Collins showed me several Roman coins, curious and fair, both silver and large brass, found lately at Gormanchester; Hadrian, Antoninus, Severus.
[61] The Saxon word stiff seems to be the same with the Greek στιβα�ος, from στιβειν, to stiffen, durare, roborare; στυφεω to stiffen, cogere, constringere: but which is the primitive, I shall not determine. There are many large tumuli, by the road-side, at Little and Great Stukeley: so one at the town-end of Stilton northwards, and another on the top of the next hill northward by the road.
[62] Sir Robert Cotton bought the whole room from Foderinghay castle, wherein Mary queen of Scots was beheaded, and set it up here.
[63] Durobrivis was at that Roman work by the river side in Chesterton parish. Allerton, hard by, was anciently wrote Aldwalton, Aldwarkton.
[64] The Castle field was walled about: perhaps this was originally one of the forts upon the Antona, built by A. Plautius before the Roman road was made.
[65] Castre is called a royal manor, Ingulf, p. 497.