Group 17: Eastern Cumbria, Yorkshire and Durham

This large group cannot be subdivided further with any logic, but it is straightforward. Beginning at Verteris, Brough-under-Stainmore (Antonine Itinerary Itinera II and V and Notitia Dignitatum Occ. xl.26), at the western end of the Stainmore Pass, it runs along the Eden valley via Voreda, Old Penrith (Antonine Itinerary Iter II and RIB 920) to Luguualium (*Caruetiorum ?), Carlisle (Antonine Itinerary Itinera II and V, RIB 2015, Vindolanda Tablets I.22.9 and Britannia 19 (1988): 476). The Cosmographer then runs south of Hadrian’s Wall via Magnis, Carvoran (RIB 1825), to Camboglanna (Notitia Dignitatum Occ. xl.44 and the Rudge Cup), identified with Castlesteads. Next he proceeds from Vindolanda, Chesterholm (Notitia Dignitatum Occ. xl.41 and RIB 1700), to Longouicio, Lanchester (Notitia Dignitatum Occ. xl.30 and RIB 1074), where the modern name contains the rump of the Romano-British form with the addition of Old English ceaster.

After this, the Cosmographer turns south along Dere Street via Vinouia, Binchester (Ptolemy Geography II.3,10, Antonine Itinerary Iter I and RIB 1036), adding Lauatris, Bowes (Antonine Itinerary Itinera II and V and Notitia Dignitatum Occ. xl.25), on a side road at the eastern end of the Stainmore Pass and continues through Cataractonium, Catterick (Ptolemy Geography I.24,1, II.3,10 and VIII.3,8, Antonine Itinerary Itinera I, II and V and Vindolanda Tablets II.343.16). After Eburacum, York, one of the best attested of Romano-British names (Rivet & Smith 1979, 355), he continues south to Petuaria, probably Brough-on-Humber (RIB 707) although Wacher (1974, 397) has argued for North Ferriby, not altogether convincingly.

The Cosmographer then appears to move northwards via the Delgouicia of the Antonine Itinerary (Iter I), identified with the settlement at Wetwang (Rivet & Smith 1979, 157). The next two names are not located with any certainty, but the third, Concangis, Chester-le-Street (formerly Conceceastre, Ekwall 1960, 101; Rivet & Smith 1979, 314) (Notitia Dignitatum Occ. xl.24 and CIL VII.1234), suggests that he was following a line east of Dere Street. In this case, *Dictio may have been the isolated fort at Lease Rigg, perhaps prominent on the map source, while *Luguduno may be Piercebridge, the name extending eastwards from the symbol denoting the fort and appearing to refer to a place on the east coast.

Passing through Concangis, the Cosmographer returns to the south of Hadrian’s Wall and reaches Coria <Lopocarium>, Corbridge, more familiarly known by the corrupt form in the Antonine Itinerary Iter I, <Corstopitum>. The emendations *Corsopitum proposed by Richmond (1958a, 140), *Coriosopitum by Rivet & Smith (1979, 322) and *Corioritum by Hind (1980, 169) do not adequately explain the Cosmographer’s form and, moreover, do not agree with the form Coria found in the Vindolanda writing-tablets (I.154.7; II.175.3). The simplest suggestion, that the name consists of Coria with a tribal epithet now hidden in the unexplained <Lopocarium>, is a possibility worth considering. Comparison with the Itinerary’s form confirms the sequence -op-, the initial L- or T- and an internal -c- or -t-.