Monument record 15644 - Course of Road East of Ness and Little Neston

<1> Various, Written Communication to the HER, Chalmers J, 28/09/2022 (Written Communication). SCH3756.

The course of a minor Roman road may be preserved in a north-south aligned field boundary to the north of Woefy Lane.

<2> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards R, 29/09/2022 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

There is clear evidence that the north-south aligned lane to the north of Woefy Lane was once part of a continuous route from just north of Cuckoo Lane (in the north) and Haddon Lane, near the Ness Botanic Gardens (in the south). The route survives as a track or path for much of its course (see 5), but is absent in the fields between Woefy Lane and Mill Lane, and between Mill Lane and Flashes Lane. Part of the now lost route section between Woefy Lane and Mill Lane is depicted on the 1849 tithe map for Little Neston (see 3) and the full course of this section is visible as a clear soil mark visible on an aerial photographs dating from May 1971 (see 4).

Dating the route is difficult. The fields at the northern end retain much of the pattern of the earlier medieval open fields from which they are enclosed. Those at the southern end seem to be enclosures taken from the formerly unenclosed land (probably common) at Haddon Hill. Unfortunately it it is difficult to assign anything other than a very broad date range for the route.

<3> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 241/2, 1849 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

<4> Huntings Surveys Ltd, 1971-1973, 1971-1973 County Survey, HSL UK 71 57, Run 8, no.0658 & 0658, 03/05/71 (Aerial Photograph). SCH4881.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ3075 (1872-1875) & SJ3076 (1874) (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.