Affari: nitidas speculas, castellaque longe
Aspicis? Ille dedit, cinxitque hæc mœnia fossa
Belligeris hic dona deis, hæc tela dicavit
Cernis adhuc titulos: hunc ipse vacantibus armis
Induit: hunc regi rapuit thoraca Britanno.
Statius V. Sylvar.
After this excursion northward, we set out from Carlisle eastward, withinside of the Roman vallum. Warwick, thought a Roman station, upon the river Eden, pleasantly seated in a little woody valley. We left the Roman road going strait from the citadel of Carlisle to Petrianis. To the right a little is Corby castle, where are many monuments of antiquity preserved; as likewise at Caercaroc near it.
Upon the river Gelt, a little before we came to Bramton, we went up the river to see a Roman inscription, cut upon the natural rock; a most odd and melancholy place: the river runs through a canal of rock all the way. Upon the great ridge of fells coming hither from Cross fell by Penrith, are many circles of stones, and circular banks of earth, the temples of the Druids of the patriarchal mode. There are likewise square works set round with stones, which were their places of judicature.
Beyond Bramton, just over the town, is a keep ditched about, called the Mount, on the top of a hill. Hence to Thirlwal castle we rode upon the foundation of the wall, the river Irthing accompanying us. We visited Knaworth castle. Near here is a great house of the Howard family, built of stone, and castellated: among many family pictures, the great earl of Arundel’s, the reviver of learned curiosity among us; a library once well stored with books and manuscripts: here is the famous Glassonbury-abbey book, or rather screen, for it is big enough; an account of the saints buried in that place. In the garden are many altars and inscriptions: I copied all those tolerably fair: with much regret I saw these noble monuments quite neglected and exposed; some cut in half to make gate-posts. A fine park here, and much old timber. The country hereabouts good land and pleasant. Above the house upon a hill, a circular work double trenched; the outer ditch broadest.
About Thirlwall we rode along the side of the wall: here was a gate through the wall, for the great Roman road called Madan-way. The name Thirlwal retains a memory of the gate here; foramen: we use it now to drill, and nostrill. All the fences of the inclosures, the houses, church, and Thirlwal castle, built out of the ravage of the wall. At the castle was a head of Roman carved work, which they have put into the blind wall of a little ale-house.