Monument record 1189/1/7 - Roman Road - Middlewich to Whitchurch

The Roman Road from Middlewich to Whitchurch has been traced from the west of Reaseheath Old Hall as an earthwork or scatter of stones to the Shropshire Union Canal. There are also topographical indicators of the line to the north-east in Worleston (1).

The line has been proven by geophysical survey in the area of the given grid reference which is to the site of a drilling rig. The agger is estimated to be 16m wide (2).

The line of the road has been proved in two sections, one in advance of construction by Shell. Road proved to stand on 6m wide clay agger with a phase I carriageway of pebbles bedded directly into the clay. Agger bounded by gulleys to north and south. Finds from this phase include pieces of Roman tile. Overlain by a much wider spread of gravel and sand up to 16m wide in phase II. Cobble roadway 3.75m wide with wheel ruts. Ditch on southern side only. All disturbed by medieval ridge and furrow (3).

<1> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 77/19-27 Jermy K 1967 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<2> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Turner R C 1987 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

<3> Edwards N P C, 1987, Excavations of the Roman Road at Reaseheath Old Hall Farm (Unpublished Report). SCH1206.