Note 120 — ITER ROMANUM. V. (continued 2)

To Dover from Canterbury the Watling-street is still the common way: it is left intire over Barham downs, with a high ridge strait pointing to Canterbury cathedral tower: as soon as it enters the downs it traverses a group of Celtic barrows, then leaves a small camp of Cæsar’s: further on it has been basely inclosed through two fields, and levelled with ploughing: then it passes by a great single barrow, whereon stood the mill, which is now removed higher up: then it ascends the hill to a hedge corner, where are three barrows, a great one between two little ones, all inclosed with a double square intrenchment of no great bulk: I fancy them Roman, because parallel to, and close by, the Roman road: the great barrow has a cavity at top, and an entrance eastward; whether casually, or with design, I know not. At Lyddon the Watling-street falls into that noble valley of Dover, made of two huge ridges of chalk, which divide themselves into lesser valleys, dropping into the great one at regular distances, as the little leaves of plants meet at the main stem: this valley, when viewed from the end, looks like a landscape on scenes lessening, according to perspective, to Dover, between the two Phari and the sea at the end, inclosed between them. The street slides along the northern declivity, crosses the rivulet which wanders through the midst of the valley at Buckland, so to Biggin gate, where is its termination, by the side of the old port, having now run from Chester about 250 miles. Many barrows on the sides of those hills.