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CIRENCESTER

Volume 6 · 215 words · 1823 Edition

an ancient town of Gloucestershire in England. It was strongly fortified with walls and a castle in the time of the Romans. The ruins of the walls and streets are, or were lately, to be seen in the adjacent meadows, where many Roman coins, chequered pavements, and inscriptions on marble, have been found. Two of the Roman consular ways cross each other at this town, The fosse-way, which comes from Scotland, passes through this county and town to Totness in Devonshire. The other, called Irminstreet, comes from Gloucester, and runs along to Southampton. CIRCESTERAMPTON. Not many years ago they discovered, by digging in a meadow near the town, an ancient building under ground, 50 feet long, 40 broad, and 4 high, and supported by 100 brick pillars, curiously inlaid with stones of various colours, supposed to have been a Roman bath. Cirencester has now but one church, in the windows of which are the remains of very valuable painted glass. The town is governed by two high constables, and 14 wards-men, who govern seven distinct wards; and it sends two members to parliament. It has a free-school, a charity-school, with several almshouses; and is seated on the river Churn, 36 miles north-east of Bristol. Population 4540 in 1811. W. Long. 2. N. Lat. 51. 42.