A topographical dictionary of Yorkshire; containing the names of all the towns, villages, hamlets, gentlemen's seats, &c. in the county of York. A brief history of places most remarkable for antiquities; biographical notices of eminent persons, &c / [Thomas Langdale].

  • Langdale, Thomas.
Date:
1822
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A topographical dictionary of Yorkshire; containing the names of all the towns, villages, hamlets, gentlemen's seats, &c. in the county of York. A brief history of places most remarkable for antiquities; biographical notices of eminent persons, &c / [Thomas Langdale]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Yorkshire*, iii the time of the Ancient Britons, was inhabited by the Brigantes, whose territories included our present Counties of Cumberland, Durham, Lancashire, Westmorland, and Yorkshire, When the Emperor Constantine divided Britain into three parts, viz. Britannia Prima, Britannia Secunda, and Maxima Cresariensis, this County was included in the last, and York was the Capital City of it. The Romans, in the construction of their Roads, evinced peculiar grandeur of design, patient labour, and persevering industry ; but at what time they were lirst formed is now impossible to ascertain. Dr. Stukeley supposes that Hermen-Street was the first, which he attri¬ butes to the time of Nero; but Horsley, with far more probability, conjectures, that most of their roads were laid out by Agricola. A strong marked feature in the arrangement of all of them, is their con¬ tinuance in a straight line, from which they seldom deviated, unless, as in some cases, they were formed on part of a British Track-way, or some local impediment was found in the way, such as a morass, or a deep ravine, Ac. Their principal roads were of great breadth, and paved with large stones; but where these could not readily be procured, gravel, lime, and other materials were substituted, and raised bigh above the soil, in some places to the height of eight or ten feet, and their durability greatly assisted by good drains. Camden, on the authority of Ulpian and Frontinus, says that the Romans gave the great Roads the names of Fire Considares, Pr re tor ire, Militares, Pulj/icx, Cursus Publici. They were unquestionably the public roads of (hose times, and distinguished from the common roads by being covered with better and more durable materials. They had, besides, minor or vicinal roads, leading from one station to another, which intersected the country in almost every direction. The four great military roads were distinguished from others at an early period, as the laws of Edward the Confessor comprehend regulations relative to the four great Highways, called IPatling-Strete, Foss, Jkcnield- Strete, and Ermine-Strete. From Tacitus we learn, that Agricola, anxious to communicate Roman customs to the Britons, instructed and assisted them “ in building of houses, temples, courts, and market-places; and by praising the industrious, and reproaching the in¬ dolent, he excited such an emulation among the. Britons, that after they had constructed all those necessary edifices in their towns, they proceeded to build others merely for ornament and pleasure ; as Por¬ ticos, Galleries, Baths, Banqueting-Houses, &c.'’t • Called Eoforwicscire by the Saxons. t Vita Agric.