Monument record 844/1/6 - Roman Road - Sandiway (Chester - Manchester Route 7a)

Roman road - Chester to Manchester. On its approach to Sandiway close to the modern highway, the road negotiated a small valley, now containing an abandoned railway, where the A556 crosses & remains of double zigzag cuttings are still visible (1). 2 deep ditches ascend obliquely through the scrub on N of A556 at Lob Slack and are still well preserved. The N ditch is approx 10.4m wide x 1.5m deep and the S is 12.2m wide x 1.8m deep. The bank between them is only c.1.2m wide with a rounded top. It seems as if these ditches are cuttings taking separate carriageways up the side of the valley. This enables the gradient to be controlled and minimises the amount of material to be removed and reduces the height of the cut face. About half way up the slope a 3rd ditch emerges on the S from under the A556. It is 7.9m wide x 1.2m deep. This is probably an earlier course of the road, while the 2 ditches N of the A556 are later (2).

<1> Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, 1970-Present, Britannia, 14/299 Waddelove A C & E 1983 (Journal/Periodical). SCH445.

<2> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 83/167-71+pl II Waddelove A C & E 1985 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<3> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 3/111-133 Kirk E 1885 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.