214
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
arguments for regarding this road pattern as a remnant of
Roman centuriation.
The centuriation pattern is interesting in another connection.
No element in the network appears to be smaller than about a
small quarter mile square—the larger areas appearing as easily
divisible into squares of this size. This seems an interesting
comment on Sharpe's work in Middlesex, to which reference
has already been made. The map of the Essex centuriation
had already been drawn before comparison was sought for with
the Middlesex map. Sharpe, working with a knowledge of the
size of Roman centuriae, had apparently found frequent instances
of its occurrence in the existing roads of his county. The
centuriation map of Essex was drawn from a consideration of
Haverfield's words alone; the recurrence of a rectangle of
uniform dimensions being remarked upon from an examination
of the resulting map. Having consulted Sharpe and his
authorities, notably the "Gromatici Veteres," accurate measure-
ments on the map revealed the fact that the rectangle's sides
corresponded to the nine furlong interval, the smaller divisions
appearing to be the five subdivisions of the "possessae"—the
"centuriae."
It is now intended to discuss the several puzzling features
occurring in Essex which appear to be explained by an acceptance
of the centuriation map, and others which, prima facie, seem to
support the suggestion that this probable centuriation is indeed
of Roman date.
It is noticeable that the main line in the southern centuriated
area, traced out by a series of lanes and paths, if produced,
passes through the centre of the artificial Plumberow Mount.
Excavations by the "Morant Club" failed to produce any
evidence of a burial in this supposed barrow. Extensive digging
only produced sherds dating it as Roman, quantities of wood
charcoal, and a large central post. Failure to prove it a barrow
led its excavators to suggest from the evidence that it was a
Roman beacon, so placed to guide the shipping up the Crouch.
This theory is not convincing. The altitude of the natural
mound is sufficiently high to perform this function, whilst it
should be added that the mound is about two miles from the
banks, and removed by well over five times that distance from
the mouth of the Crouch.