Monument record 1700/1/13 - Roman Road - Ford at Eaton Park (Chester to Wroxeter Route 6a)

Watling Street crossed the river Dee just downstream of the Iron Bridge in Eaton Park. Ormerod recorded that the stone foundations of the causeway could be seen when the water was low (1). In 1910 'some of the pitching on either side' could be seen (2), but in 1959 the OS could detect no trace (3). In July 1960 David Evans carried out soundings of the river bed. 18 yards downstream from the bridge a distinct change in the river bed was noted to sandstone flagging at a depth of 5.5 ft in the center, 4.5 ft near the right bank and 5 ft near the left. The sandstone formed a platform c.12 ft wide with gravel shoulders shelving away to the normal mud bottom. This is probably the site of the supposed ford (4).

<1> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Ormerod G 1882 2/584+829 (Book). SCH1389.

<2> Cambrian Archaeological Association, 1846–present, Archaeologia Cambrensis, Vol. X Sixth Series (1910) p.192 (Journal/Periodical). SCH305.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ46SW21/1959 (Index). SCH2487.

<4> Chester Archaeological Society, Journal of the Chester Archaeological Society, Thompson F H 1961 48/25-26 (Journal/Periodical). SCH1595.

<5> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 1/229 1985 (Book). SCH3556.

<6> Cambrian Archaeological Association, 1846–present, Archaeologia Cambrensis, 1/238 Ffoulkes W W 1855 (Journal/Periodical). SCH305.

<7> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 14/74 Harrison W 1896 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.