The Remains Of Ancient Roman Baths In England.

plan , paving their baths with solid marble flags , which retain the heat for a considerable time . It is not easy to say what was the exact arrangement of the public baths of Uriconium , as almost nothing is left ofthe flooring ofthe heated rooms , but from its general appearance I am quite satisfied that they comprise two distinct systems of rooms , one devoted to men , ancl the other to women , a kind of duality being observable in most of the arrangements . The most westerlhypocaust was

y -pretty well preserved , and measured 37 faet hy 25 , aud contained 120 pillars , which ( when complete ) stood about 3 feet high , exclusive of the concrete ivhieh was placed above them . Many circumstances concur in proving that the city was suddenly and violently destroyed , being sacked and burned to the ground ( probably by the Picts ancl Scots in the middle of the Sth century ) , and it is very remarkable that the most perfect buildings are the public haths or

thermic , and the basilica or town-hall , immediately adjoining one another . This alone is sufficient to show the estimation in which the baths were held , ancl the importance to the state of their proper -administration .

Hie hath afc Cai-ishrooke ivo . s attached to a villa , and does not need any particular description . The soot of 13 centuries was found still adhering to the tiles in large quantities , and the walls and ceilings were painted in the most gaudy colours ( as red , blue , yellow , green , white , ancl black ) . At Uriconium , it is said that some of the exterior walls of the buildings were found painted red , with stripes of yellow . The date of Vespasian ' s invasion of the Isle of Wiht is believed

g to have been A . I ) . 43 , ancl its subsequent taking by the Saxons , under Cerdic , took place nearly 500 years afterwards , so that we are thus enabled to form an idea of the time during which the . Romans hacl possession of this country . The small lithograph to which I have alluded represents a bath found 160 years ago , near the modern village of AA roxeter , very close to the site of the late excavations , ancl presents in a complete form the system of flue

bricks running up the sides of the apartment , so imperfectly traced in the eastern hypocaust of Uriconium , and evidently belonging to the same city . A mere glance at the picture suffices to convey a tolerable idea of the nature ofthe heating apparatus , although it is difficult to ascertain exactly how the floor was suspended over pillars which only occupied the central portion of the basementorat leastdid not

, , , -come to the sides , or near enough to one another to admit of tiles ¦ extending from one to the other , as in the former illustration . The side flues are obviously intended to run up the walls , and in this manner would be sufficient to heat the apartment very efficiently , even were no heat applied to the door ; so that it is manifestly impossible that this could have been intended for any other purpose or use than that of a sudatorium or sweating-room . Besides this ,

-analogy is a very strong argument , ancl when we are satisfied that the modern Turks derived their knowledge of bath building from the Romans , and find that they likewise adopt the same or similar contrivances , it becomes as morally certain that this was a Eoman

bath as that a watch gives evidence , by its construction , that it was intended to keep time . I have myself seen the flues in the walls of Turkish baths , and was struck with the fact that they contained but little soot . Perhaps this is owing to the nature of tho fuel employed , which is large billets of dry wood . In the picture taken . from a fresco of the baths of Titus , the . fuel is obviously wood , so that we have evidence that they used three kinds of fuel , viz ., coal , woodand charcoal . No doubt the abundance of wood made it

, formerly the universal fuel , ancl as Turkey either contain no coal mines , or the 'Turks do not know how to work them , there is an obvious reason why wood is employed as fuel in the hamams of Constantinople . They do not use fire-bricks , as we do , in the construction of their furnaces , but a kind of natural fire-stone , which is obtained in ; the country , ancl is universally employed there for the purpose . The two plans which I have already spoken of give distinct ideas

of the hypocaust seen sideways , and from above in perspective . The next , Fig . 1 , gives a complete ground plan , drawn on the spot by a professional architect , and with the dimensions accurately marked on it . With the exception of Cai-ishrooke and Uriconium , it is , I believe , the most modern discovery of Eoman civilisation in England . The account of it was communicated by JMr . Clement Taylor Smythe to a member of the Societof Antiquariesin the

y , year 1811 , and the ruin in question is on the property of Charles AVykeham Martin , Esq ., M . JP ., in tiie parish of Boughton AVinchelsea , in Kent . Its extent from north to south was about 60 ft ., from east to west 30 ft ., and the walls about 3 ft . in height by 2 ft . thick . The destruction of the roof of this hypocaust leaves us in the dark as to the arrangements for ablution in the hot room or caldarium , hut if we are to

judge from the usual arrangements of Roman baths found elsewhere ( as at Pompeii ) , the recesses in the western sides of the sudatorium were probably reserved for this purpose , or for the hot water vessels , labrum and solium . But the sink is placed . it the opposite side of

The Remains Of Ancient Roman Baths In England.

the apartment , so that the water must run entirely across the room in order to flow off . Thus we see that the only room in which the atmosphere was not moist was the tepidarium , and that it had no hypocaust under it , hut only a single fine , so that its object was that of seasoning the skin for the higher temperature of the caldarium , rather than the production of free perspiration . If any nation was ever fitted for the endurance of high temperatures in dry airit certainly was the Eoman nationfor the

con-, , stant practice of gymnastic exercises ( as a kind of preliminary to the bath ) , rendered the skin capable of performing its functions with great activity whenever necessity arose for it . It does not appear that it was their practice to indulge in that kind of " roasting " which is now so fashionable , nor do we find mentioned by any author any such thing as the modern practice of drinking immense quantities of water in the bath . On the

contrary , we actually find Celsus warning- his patients against remaining too long in the bath , on the ground that vapour haths were debilitating when indulged in to excess . He might have said the same of any bath ; but it is the use made of anything which determines its influence on society . AVhen luxury was rampant and decency not inculcated by the prevailing form of religious belief , it was not to be expected that the Romans would have made any better

use of the bath than they clid , when an unhallowed civilisation had reached its climax , and the city of abominations was living at its ease , and enjoying the spoils of many conquered countries . In Britain , however , the case was different . The hardy soldiers who ventured so far were not the men to spend their days in idle luxury , but they used the bath as a means of invigoration during the most arduous achievements ; ancl it seems to me thatinasmuch as an

, Englishman is neither a Roman nor a Turk , the use of the bath in this country will neither be accompanied by the laziness of the one nor the sensuality of the other . On the contrary , I congratulate myself on whatever part I have taken in its introduction into the country , and believe that every man who has aided the cause may justly boast that he has assisted in giving the people a harmless enjoyment , which is capable of curing disease , preserving health ,

and giving new capacity for labour . The only truo way of cheeking the intemperance and vice which unfortunately so much abound , is to increase the number of our innocent recreations , ancl thereby diminish the temptations of the people .

General Architectural Intelligence.

GENERAL ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE .

The foundation-stone of thc congregational chapel , Sfcowniarket , Suffolk , has been laid . The principal front will be on tho north side of the street , which has been opened out by the removal of three houses . It stands SO feet back from tho street , and is about 100 feet iu length . Thc plan of the chapel is oblong , with the addition of north and south transepts , and it is intended to scat about 1100 persons , including

200 children in tho transepts . A gallery extends round three sides , the fourth sido being occupied by the organ-gallery in an arched recess 40 feet high . At the end of the chapel and communicating with it are school premises , consisting of infants' school , 35 feet by 21 feet , on thc ground story , to be also used for evening week-day services ; and four classrooms . Above those is a school-room GO feet by 25 feet ,

opening to the galleries by enclosed lobbies , and having separate staircases for boys and girls at cither end . The design of the exterior is in tho English Gothic style of thirteenth century , the materials being Kentish rag stone ancl Caen stone dressings . The clear internal dimensions of the chapel will bo 66 feet by 46 feet , and 63 feet across the transepts by 22 feet wide . The contract has been taken

for the sum of £ 3500 , including thc old buildings on the site . A thorough restoration ofthe church of West Torrington , Lincolnshire , is about to be commenced . It has been sadly mutilated and disfigured ; tho only remnants of tho ancient church being thc south doorway . Two south windows , and a beautiful Eoman font were thickly coated over with paint . Plans have been prepared , which comprise tho extension of

chancel to its original limits , new roofs , seats , windows , and . double bell gable . A porch and vestry are also to be added . The wood-work will be of Pctcrsburgh ' red deal , ancl Ancaster stone will be used for all dressings . Tho restoration of the parish church of Walsingha-m will shortly be commenced . The expense of putting the interior into a thorough state of repair is estimated at £ 1760 , to which is to be added the cost of a suitable organ , £ 250 , making a total of £ 2010 . The parish of Walsingham is celebrated as containing the site of one of the most famous