28.     W T P Shortt                                                                          1840 

W T P Shortt of Heavitree, near Exeter, was a keen amateur historian and member of the Numismatic Society of London. He wrote two popular works tracing the findings of Roman remains in Exeter, Sylva Antiqua Iscana, and on the supposed druidical relicts, Collectanea Curiosa Antiqua Dunmonia, which also served as a second edition of the earlier work. The first contained a plan of Roman Exeter.                                    

Title: CASTRAMETATIO ROMANA ISCANA (above) and

SUPPOSED FORM OF THE ANCIENT ROMAN STATION (OR CAMP) OF ISCA DUNMONIORUM (below)

Size: 135 x 105 mm. No scale.

Signatures:  W P Shortt Del. and Featherstone Lithog. 

The plan is highly speculative and based largely on the findings of coins, of which a great many had been found by 1840 when the book appeared. Shortt situated the Quaestorium, or paymaster's office, near Broadgate due to the number of coins found there. Other residences and offices are then assumed as a result of indications by Roman writers describing "similar" towns. When Dr Oliver wrote his history twenty years later, he completely ignored Shortt's work and Roman Exeter was reduced to two or three pages (see 35/36).   

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