188
Dat Romeinse bad bevond zich toen in een straatje genaamd Strand Lane.
Volgens de eigentijdse beschrijving door Charles Knight zag het er als
volgt uit:
XXXVI.THE STRAND, uit: Charles Knight: London, 1841:
"Among those curious narrow lanes which extend from the Strand
downwards to he Thames, there is one called Strand Lane, through which
ran the watercourse from Strand Bridge, and which we have in our former
article incidentally referred to as containing an important remain. It is a
place which few persons besides inhabitants are at all familiar witha
circumstance that may account for the little notice that has been paid to the
announcement seen in front of No. 5 of the lane in question. We were
roaming carelessly through these lanes, thinking there could be little or
nothing in them to repay the curious visitor, when that announcement
attracted our attention, and we read "The Old Roman Spring Bath!" With
some surprise and a great deal of incredulity we desired to be shown this
piece of antiquity, which the chief historians of the metropolis had said
nothing about. Descending several steps we found ourselves in a lofty
vaulted passage, evidently ancient; and its antiquity became still more
apparent on walking to the end of the passage, where the ceiling of opposite
or terminal wall exhibits half of a great circular arch, the upper ion of the
other half being occupied by a descending piece of masonry, supported by a
beam, which appears to be at least two or three centuries old, possibly much
more. The age of this beam speaks significantly as to the age of the arch,
which it and the accompanying masonry have mutilated. On the left of the
passage is a door, leading into a vaulted chamber, measuring we should
suppose about twenty feet in length, the same in height, and in breadth
about nine feet. In the massive wall between the chamber and the passage is
a recess, passing which, and standing at the farther end of the room, we
have the view seen in the above engraving. The Bath itself is about thirteen
feet long, six broad, and four feet six inches deep. The spring is said to be
connected with the neighbouring holy well, which gives name to Holywell
Street, and their respective position makes the statement probable. Through
the beautifully clear water, which is also as delightful to the taste as
refreshing to the eye, appear the sides and bottom of the Bath, exhibiting,
we were told, the undoubted evidences of the high origin ascribed to it.
Minutely as the height and peculiar coldness of the water would permit, did
we and the artist of the above drawing examine the structure of these
supposed Roman walls and pavement. The former consisted, we found, of
layers of brink of that peculiar flat and neat-looking aspect which certainly
seemed to imply the impress of Roman hands, divided only by thin layers of
