Monument record 844/1/0 - Roman Road - Chester to Manchester (Route 7a)

<1> Margary, I. D., 1973, Roman Roads in Britain, /300-302 1973 (Book). SCH2903.

Chester to Manchester Roman road. First ran E to Manchester and then turned N to Carlisle. Margary No 7a

<2> Longley D, 1977-1978, Longley Archive, /no.306 (Paper Archive). SCH2005.

<2> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 1/218-219 1987 (Book). SCH3556.

Antonine Inter II, known locally as Watling St. Road led from the fortress at Chester to the forts at Northwich and Manchester and then over the Pennines to York. From the E gate of the fortress, the road is followed by modern roads to Vicars Cross. It crosses the River Gowy at Stamford Bridge, then proceeds N of Kelsall, S of Eddisbury hillfort and through Oakmere. Thereafter the modern and Roman lines merge at Crabtree Cottages (582701). The course becomes less distinct from the junction with Cockpit Lane (607706). It probably follows the present road through Hartford to Northwich. It crosses the Weaver, then the present Manchester road takes up the alignment. About 2kms E of the river crossing is the junction with King St (now obscured).Then the route turns N through Nether Tabley (A556). That alignment continued through Mere and Bucklow Hill into Manchester.

<3> Matthews K J, 1999, The creation of landscapes on the edge of the Empire: roads and the landscapes in northwest Britannia (Article in Monograph). SCH7073.

<4> Lancaster University Archaeological Unit, 1991, Crown Farm, Oakmere, Sand Extraction Site. Archaeological Evaluation. (Client Report). SCH4192.

In 1991 an archaeological evaluation was undertaken in advance of the extension of a sand extraction site at Crown Farm. The Roman Road Route 7a and a northerly branch was a particular focus of investigation comprising desk-based research, field survey, geophysical survey and trial trenching. The road, in this particular area, is visible on vertical air photography taken in 1973. A disturbed metalled surface with flanking ditches was also recorded through geophysical survey and excavated trenches. This was interpreted as the Roman road but no datable finds were recovered. See also monument 844/1/4 for more detail.