Except for the interest aroused by their cemeteries, the extramural territories of the Roman cities of Britain have never aroused sufficient interest for them to have been subjected to systematic exploration. Nevertheless, as a sensitive barometer to chart their changing fortunes, the margins of a city have considerable potential, as Esmonde Cleary's review of the evidence from the cities and towns of Roman Britain amply demonstrated. Much of what we know derives from the results of adventitious rescue excavation carried out in the context of inter- and post-War city and town development, but comparatively little has emerged from greenfield sites like Calleva which have very largely escaped modern interference. Since the final season of the Society of Antiquaries’ excavation of Silchester in 1909 when attention focused on the ditches surrounding the town wall, only limited investigations have been made of the extramural territory of Calleva. Both Cotton and Boon excavated parts of the Outer Earthwork on the western side, but the evaluation of the defensive sequence was their principal objective, rather than an understanding of the extramural terrritory per se. That has had to wait for the systematic study of the aerial photography and material collected by field-walking which has given us a first glimpse of the organization and use of the extramural territory, and which has now been complemented by the publication of all the aerial photography from Silchester. The two types of survey have shown that the main axis of extramural activity is east-west along the roads leading to London and Cirencester/Bath. However, there is almost no aerial photography to illuminate our understanding of the north-south routes to Dorchester-on-Thames and Chichester/Winchester, although surface collection has revealed spreads of material extending over three hundred metres south of the South Gate through to trie fourth century.6 To the north, however, extensive semi-permanent pasture has hindered non-intrusive investigation and only the evidence of major structures such as the road to Dorchester, and elements of lanes and streets, have been evident from the aerial photography.

Excavations revealed important elements of a pre-Flavian fort, including a well-preserved clay and turf rampart, barrack blocks and a granary. A good assemblage of contemporary pottery, metalwork and glass was associated with these levels. The results are assessed with a discussion of previous excavations in Abergavenny. The site also yielded the first firm evidence of the town's Norman defensive bank and later Edwardian town wall. A Civil War phase of defences was also recorded.

‘To be shaved by a barber means good all round, for — so to speak — from the act of being shaved (karēnai) proceeds that of being gladdened (charēnai), just one letter being substituted for another. … ‘By a barber’ is stipulated, because, if one shaves oneself and is not a barber, then that signifies bereavement or a sudden disaster. … Cutting one's own nails signifies paying one's debts, if one is a debtor. … ’

The following pages consider the stone torso of a seated quadruped which was found in a well on the axis of the Roman temple at Pagans Hill (the name is coincidental) in north Somerset, excavated in 1951 by Mr (now Professor) P.A. Rahtz. The sculpture is worked in a limestone of the Inferior Oolite now somewhat denatured, according to Professor D.T. Donovan, by the percolation of water during burial. It is probably of Doulting stone. The piece now consists of four conjoining fragments, 63 cm overall. No others were found in the well or the area of about 70 sq.m opened around its mouth (FIG. 1). What is left (PLS. VII-IXA. FIGS. 3–4) shows that the work had been competently and naturalistically rendered.

Modern Usk is a small market town situated within the county of Gwent on the east bank of the River Usk at its confluence with the tributary River Olway, and on the flood plain of both rivers. It lies at a height of c. 17 m O D, on a major bridging-point of the River Usk, and commands two natural routeways. The first, formed by the valley of the Usk itself, runs from the central highlands of southern Wales around Brecon, south-eastwards to Abergavenny and Usk, and from there southwards to reach the sea at Newport. The second, minor, route follows the valley of the Olway north-east to Raglan.

In 1960 during construction work for the Water's Edge Hotel, Cold Knap, Barry, the remains of a Roman building were revealed. It was not possible to excavate, but one of the authors (HJT) was able to carry out a watching brief during the demolition. From the remains visible at the time, it was believed to be a free-standing building of approximately square plan, and, since human remains had been recorded from close at hand in 1866, it was tentatively identified as a mausoleum.