Roman Roads

Roman Roads in Lancashire

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The Roman Roads

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The Westerly North-South Road

Wilderspool to Walton-le-Dale (27 miles)

This route is never far from the A49 which is clearly derived from it although with many diversions over the centuries. The course is marked on modern OS maps until just south of Wigan (Goose Green) and its final alignment is to the west of Wigan. Waddelove (Britannia 2001) suggested the route continued west of Wigan and the intervisible high points of Goose Green and Standish Prospect Hill look the obvious ones - see contour map . This aligns with Standish Wood Lane - certainly an old route. Wigan Archaeological Society have found traces of a probable link road from Wigan to Standish to join the main road. Further north of Wigan, Hic Bibi Lane ( map and aerial-photo) is generally take to be the line particularly as it more or less aligns with the last known section south of Wigan - contour map. Chorley and District Historical and Archaeological Society carried out excavations in 1959 and 1985 adjacent to where the road crosses Coppull Moor Lane. The photo below is believed to be of the road just south of Coppull Moor Lane:

The situation towards Walton is however not very certain. The Central Lancashire Development Corporation (now defunct) favoured a line via Pear Tree Lane - Gravel Hole Wood - Cinder Path Wood - Meanygate (ref. Hallam). Meanygate Lane was marked as Mainway Gate on the 1st edition O.S. map and the CLDC line is indicated on this aerial-photo photograph. However in recent excavations at Walton-le-Dale (Britannia 1998) the remains of a "substantial" North-South road were found which confirmed earlier 1981-3 findings of the same road slightly further north on the site. If projected southwards the alignment of this road is over 1 kilometre west of the CLDC line and interestingly points towards Todd Lane (the site of two old crosses), Stanifold Lane (a significant name maybe) and finally the old A49 to Hic Bibi. Reinforcing this, the CLDC line was apparently known in medieval times as "Waingate" with the A49 known as the "Kings Highway". Waingates were roads for carts and were quite often parallel to the main road, the idea being to reduce damage to the main thoroughfare. According to Higham, Kings Highways were often based on original Roman routes.

On balance the westerley option via Stanifold lane/Todd Lane now looks favourite. This route across Leyland (north of the Church) fits with an old track and boundary. So all things considered this is probably the best guess at the route:

Walton-le-Dale to Lancaster (22 miles)

At Preston the Ribble was crossed just downstream of London Road Bridge and the line across Preston is probably marked by Swill Brook Lane and Roman Road (that's a clue!) before crossing Church Street near Grimshaw Street. Lang's map of Preston 1774 names two fields as 'Great Pathway Field' and 'Causeway Meadow', the latter being near the site of St. Ignatius's R.C. Church. It would have changed direction here probably along the line of St. Pauls Road and Brown' map of Preston (c.1890) shows a straight boundary carrying on across what was to become Moor Park. There are 150 year old reports of the road being discovered when Lower Bank Road in Fulwood was being developed. The exact location was unfortunately not recorded - just "about halfway between Withy Trees and Fulwood Barracks". Map.

Fleet Street looking north

Between Fulwood and Garstang the route is very uncertain. The A.6 near Barton looks Roamn but is a turnpike. However, the original pre-turnpike road seems to have been just west of the current road as a former road was marked on the OS Revised First Edition Map opposite Cardwell Farm (aerial). See also our Turnpike webpage. As already mentioned, at Garstang it is a puzzle. Watkin and Sibson thought Fleet Street (south-east of Garstang) marked the line but Lodge Road, which aligns with Fleet Street (the house), is a new road (1822) but it could of course have utilised a Roman foundation. Alternativelly, Margary suggested a line somewhat further west following a hedgerow aligning with the A6 where it swings west to bypass Garstang. Spotted by Peter Iles on an aerial photo south of Caterall, west of the A6, near Bradley Hill Farm was the apparent traces of the road and its side ditches. A pipeline was excavated across this field and traces of a cobbled road with side ditches was found (photo) - but is it Roman? The mystery is still unresolved. Yates map of 1786 might provide a clue. The old road west of Garstang paradoxically later became Preston-Lancaster New Road just to add to the confusion!

 

Beyond Garstang at Cabus, thanks to work by the Over-Wyre Historical Society, the route can stated with some confidence. What they found was a 7.5m wide cambered cobbled road just east of the A6 in the garden of (and in the field next to) Clay Lane Head Farm - the farm itself seemed to have been built directly on the road. This would line in perfectly with Fowler Hill Lane and its continuation as Kiln Trees Lane . This general direction is towards Forton Hall Farm where a possible base of a Roman milestone was found. Extending the line of Fowler Hill Lane and Clay Lane Head southwards, Neil Thompson has pointed out that it aligns with the old Wyre ford. The ford itself is a diagonal crossing also maintaining this line. The route past Garstang could therefore be on the east side of the River Wyre which would fit well with the Fleet Street suggestion.

From Galgate the old road west of the railway is probably on the alignment into Lancaster and at Burrow Heights, near Burrow Farm, traces of the probable road are visible as parch marks on the aerial photo. Remains of the road have been found at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and the line is not on the fort but to Penny Street and Cheapside. This was confirmed in 2005 with the discovery of the road (and a magnificent tombstone) on a development site just north of the canal at Aldcliffe. Two inscribed milestones were found at Stodday Hall but this is somewhat west of the suggested line and may therefore indicate another Roman road from Lancaster towards Cockerham and the Fylde. The Fort was located on Castle Hill (aerial photo) and some remains are on display in Vicarage Fields.

Lancaster to Watercrook, Kendal (20 miles approx.)

Virtually no evidence for this route except substantial Roman remains were hit at Hincaster when the A590 was being constructed. The pre-A6 road is believed to have been Green Lane which is a ridge route and so could indicate the Roman line. Alternatively, the route shown on Ogilby's 1675 may be based on the Roman line. A route across the Sands is also a possibility and a Roman altar was found at Folly/Foley Farm, which may indicate its course - map.

The Easterly North-South Road

Manchester to Ribchester (26.5 miles)

This section is readily traceable and survives as highway along much of its route. A road issued from the north gate of the fort but this was more likely a connecting road to the main road which would not have gone through the centre of the fort. The road from the fort made a shallow angle with Deansgate, the two coinciding around half way along, about where Lloyd Street is today. Deansgate was labelled "Roman Road" on the 1896 OS 25-inch map so Deansgate therefore probably represents the main route (the road from the fort at Vindolanda and the Stanegate main road are very similar). At the end of Deansgate, in the Cathedral area, the road swung to the north around the River Irwell. The remaining route was remarkably direct. It used to be thought it had been set out in 3 alignments based on intervisible high-points: the first from (possibly) the Hill, Heaton Moor to Affetside (273 metres) - see contour map , the second from Affetside to (the side of) Rushton's Height (314 metres) - see contour map and the third from the latter to Jeffrey Hill (c. 272 metres). However, GIS technology has revealed that Top of Ramsgreave was also a setting out point as a subtle change of direction took place there - see contour map. The change of direction at Affetside was also subtle and it is possible the changes at Affetside and Ramsgreave are simply errors showing the limitation of Roman setting out precision. However it is clear from the GIS analysis that Affetside, Rushton Height, Top of Ramsgreave and Jeffrey Hill were the main setting out points.

On the first alignment parts of the modern highway represent the course and Roman Road Terrace provides the first clue! However, close analysis shows that this alignment to Affetside was not perfectly straight but changed slighly at Kersall and Whitefield. Paradoxically Bury New Road in places follows some of the the route. This seems to be the case of a turnpike road being built, at least in part, on Roman foundatations (Bury Old Road is further to the east near Heaton Park and despite its name is not really therefore the older route). The Irwell at Radcliffe was the major obstacle on this stretch but the 1845 OS 6-inch maps indicate that it did not deviate at all but went straight on remerging from the valley along Croft Lane. Further on at Starling, it was was named Blackburn Street but the modern estate road here, "Watling Street", preserves the name but not the course being too far to the east.

On the second alignment there were several diversions off the main alignment to negotiate valleys. The first of these was where Walves Reservoir is now situated - aerial-photo. The existing road does not coincide again until north of Wayoh Bridge - see map. The modern road leaves the Roman road slightly at Grimehills and again at Harwood's Lane.
STOP PRESS: July 2005 - Darwen Archaeological Society have excavated the road at Brocklehead Farm.

Traces of the final alignment are easily recognised from Top of Ramsgreave aerial - both looking north (see above) and south.

The final approach to Ribchester may have joined the road from Elslack but traces are likely to have been obliterated by the movements of the River Ribble.

Ribchester to Over Burrow (29 miles)

This road is also marked on modern maps. Leaving Ribchester, via Water Street and Ribblesdale Road, it soon re-joins the original straight alignment from Manchester and continues it up to the crest of Longridge Fell, near Jeffrey Hill Map. The panorama from Jeffrey Hill is one of the best views in Lancashire with the Bowland Fells centre stage. Even the Roman engineers baulked at going straight ahead and with a choice of North-West or North-East chose the latter. So the alignment swings 54 degrees to the NE and can be seen angling across the steep slope just below, and parallel to, the present road - aerial-photo. This section was aligned on Browsholme Heights although it is often claimed it is aligned on the the summit of Penygent, visible in the far distance on very clear days. Our photo indicates not on Penygent but it demonstrates how Roman engineers used high points (Browsholmes Heights) to set out their roads (contour map).

The major obstacle on this alignment was the (first) crossing of the Hodder - this was the old Lancashire-Yorkshire boundary - and the 1845 OS 6-inch maps show the road angling to the east for the crossing site. Further on a minor road continues the line but at Cow Ark and Marl Hill it deviates leaving a trace visible on aerial-photos. At Browsholme Heights it swung more northerly aimed at Low Fell (contour map). This change of direction near Marl Hill has been questioned by Edwards - the modern road route he thought more logical. But, the recently scanned 1947 aerials appears to confirm that it did indeed change here 1947aerial just as the old surveyors recorded. This new photo by Peter Iles just about makes it certain.

Where the road crosses the Hodder for the second time an interesting feature is visible on the 1947 aerial photo. Interestingly, if the Trough of Bowland road from Lancaster is also Roman (see later) then this is where it would meet the north-south road.

The second crossing of the Hodder - could this be a missing fort?

The route the engineers chose through the Bowland Fells was via Croasdale Fell and part of the track is now known as Hornby Road (or Broken Bank Head). It must have been a daunting journey in bad weather. The ascent to the pass shows clearly on the aerial-photo. Across the fell the route was adapted to the contours - (contour map).

For detials and images of the spectacular Croasdale section of the Road north from Ribchester click here.

Its descent from the fells into the Hindburn valley is also very clear on the aerial-photo see contour map. It then ran down the east side of the beautiful Hindburn valley heading through Ivah and Lowgill (aerial-photo) see contour map towards the Hill . The route to the River Wenning is shown on modern maps as pasing under Robert Hall - older maps had it further east. Between the Wenning and the Greta traces are indistinct but a possible dogleg climb up from the Greta shows up well on the aerial-photo. Further north, near the County boundary, the road has some prominent stretches (aerial-photo) remaining before entering Cumbria. A link road to Burrow fort would have been required and and there are indications of a possible route linking across to Woodman Lane aerial-photo. One of the meanders of the old A65 near Cowan Bridge was on the alignment for a short length. Map

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