Monument record 1189/1/11 - Roman Road - Whitchurch - Nantwich - Middlewich (Margery route 700)

Part of the Roman road from Whitchurch to Nantwich (Margery route 700), a possible agger. There is a rise at the edge of the field 3ft above the general level of the ground nearby and a considerable amount of cobbles with some broken red sandstone in a slight ditch. Between SJ59654884 and SJ 59634879 is a slight ridge running diagonally across the corner of the field. Probing revealed a band of stone below the surface at depth of between 4 and 12 inches, across a width of 45ft. An excavation across the agger involved cutting a trench 2ft 9 inches wide. The team comprised amateurs from the Warrington area ,including pupils from Richard Fairclough Secondary Modern School. The natural consisted of red clay which was topped by a weathered layer of yellow sand, between 1 and 9 inches thick. Above this was a thin dark layer which was interpreted as a buried turf line. Above this was a compacted layer of gravel containing broken sandstone and sand. This layer was 58ft wide and from 2 to 7 inches thick. This stony layer was covered by 9 inches of topsoil. The section was interpreted as an agger from which the upper layers including the road surface in the central area, had been removed by the plough (1).

<1> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 77/23-26 Jermy K 1967 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<2> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 1/221 Petch D F 1987 (Book). SCH3556.

<3> Margary, I. D., 1973, Roman Roads in Britain, Route 700 p.303 (Book). SCH2903.