Alexander Gordon (antiquary) - Survey of Roman Ruins

Survey of Roman Ruins

In 1720 Stukeley, in his Account of a Roman Temple and other antiquities near Graham's Dike in Scotland, expressed his wonder that no Scotsman had hitherto investigated the Roman antiquities of the country. "This," says Gordon, "was sufficient excitement for me to proceed still more vigorously in collecting what I had begun." During three successive years he visited different parts of Scotland and Northumberland, exploring, drawing, and measuring ancient remains, at much cost and some hardship. Liberal patrons, however, were not wanting, such as the Duke of Queensberry, to whom the work was subsequently dedicated, the Earl of Pembroke, the Earl of Findlater, the Earl of Hertford, and Viscount Bateman, whose cabinet of curiosities he was often enabled to enrich during his travels at home and abroad, Edward Chandler, then bishop of Lichfield, and Duncan Forbes of Culloden, at that time lord advocate. His great patron was Sir John Clerk of Penicuik, Edinburghshire. He was a frequent guest at Old Penicuik House, where he had access to a splendid museum of antiquities, and was accompanied by Clerk in his Northumbrian explorations, as well as in others nearer home. The work, which had been largely subscribed for, appeared as Itinerarium Septentrionale; or, a Journey thro' most of the Counties of Scotland, and those in the North of England. . . . Part 1. Containing an Account of all the Monuments of Roman Antiquity. . . . Part 2. An Account of the Danish Invasions on Scotland . . . With sixty-six copperplates . In this laborious work Gordon proved himself an honest, painstaking antiquary. Though his theories have long since been exploded, he has preserved records of earthworks, inscriptions, and relics of various kinds, of which but for him all knowledge would have been lost. The appendix derived its chief value from a learned correspondence concerning ancient sepulchral rites in Britain between Sir John Clerk and Roger Gale which Gordon here made public, greatly to their annoyance. He apologises for the inelegant illustrations of his Itinerarium. On page 188 of the Itinerarium Gordon announced his intention of issuing in a few days proposals for engraving by subscription A Compleat View of the Roman Walls in Britain. It is much to be regretted that for want of the necessary funds this survey, with drawings of all the inscriptions and altars discovered, should not have appeared.