Old Hampshire Mapped
Cox's Hampshire
Transcription (35)Arthur
Round Table
St Catherine's Hill
hillfort
Constans the Monk
Saxons
Ethelstan
mint
There are some Historians who speak of King Arthur's Deeds in these Parts, in the Wars against the West Saxons; but we have no certain Proof that he was ever Master of this Town: However his round Table is shewn, hanging up in the Town Hall, and the People commonly believe it to be so, but it plainly appears to be of a later Date; for in former Ages, when Tournaments were used to train up Soldiers, these kind of round Tables were invented, that there might be no dispute among the brave Combatants for Precedency; and this was one of them.
The old Ruins near the Cathedral, are of Roman Building, and consist of small Flints with Mortar, as hard as Stone. On St. Katherine's Hill, near it, is a Camp with single Work, and single Graffe, neither exactly round nor square but, according to the Ground of the Hill.
In this City in the Times of the Romans, lived Constans the Monk, who was first made Caesar, and afterwards Emperor, by his Father Constantine, who usurped the Empire in opposition to Honorius, out of a Conceit, that his name would prove successful, There is an old piece of a Wall near the West Gate of the Cathedral Church, of great Strength and Thickness, with several Windows in it, which seems to be the Relics of the old College of Monks; Constans suffered Death for his Ambition.
During the Saxon Heptarchy, tho' this Place was once or twice very much harassed, yet still it recovered, and became the Residence of the West Saxon Kings, adorned with magnificent Churches, and honoured with an Episcopal See, as also endowed by King Ethelstan, with the Privilege of six Mints.
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