By the artificial aid, therefore, of
a ditch and a rampart on its east and north sides, this place was
rendered a fortress of no inconsiderable importance. This fell
afterwards into the hands of the Brigantes, the ancient inhabitants of
Durham, York, and Westmoreland. Upon the invasion of the Romans,
Cereales, their general, attacked the proper Brigantes of Yorkshire and
Durham, and freed the Sistuntii of Lancashire from their dominion, but
reserved the former to incur the Roman yoke. In A.D. 79, this British
hold was changed into a Roman castrum, garrisoned by the first Frisian
cohort, who erected from the old materials a new fort on the Roman
construction, part of the vallum remaining to this day. New roads were
made, and the British were invited to form themselves into the little
communities of cities, to check the spirit of independence kept alive in
the uncivilised abodes of deserted forests. The Romans possessed the
fortress for nearly 300 years, when they were summoned away to form part
of the army intended to repel the myriads of barbarians that threatened
to overrun Europe.
"By contributing to their refinement, and protecting them from the
inroads of the Picts and Scots, the Romans were regarded in a friendly
light by the ancient inhabitants, and their departure was much
regretted.
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