Monument record 614/1 - Roman road - Wigan to Wilderspool section

<1> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 85/100-130 Dunlop G A and Fairclough Col B 1933 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

Line of Roman road between Newton Brook and St Elphin's Church, Warrington, investigated by G A Dunlop and Col B Fairclough in 1932. Divided into three phases.

Phase I - Newton Brook to Hollins Lane. Actual line of the road varied from the suggested OS line which lay further west. Line of road is clearly marked by a broad band of gravel in places. Structure of road was of paved sandstone of varying thickness. Coarse gravel was used as a surfacing material on top of the sandstone. Smaller gravel was used for bedding the sandstone blocks. Downward curved black bands at the edge of the road were exposed in many holes. Road varies in width from l4 to 24 ft. Starting in north at Newton Brook - line of OS Roman road located. No brace of bridge or ford over the brook. Two holes dug on a slight causeway. Further south in Field 26 a gravel band can be seen (c.SJ5898 9365 - 5908 9345).

Further south, in Fields 36 and 37, three holes were dug, revealing sandstone blocks with c.l inch of gravel on top, 12 ins deep, and forming a paved area 14ft wide. This lay on the line of a well defined causeway and followed the line of a band of gravel c.24 yds wide. Road changes direction to the east and sandstone blocks, gravel and sand were found l2 ins down.

Further south in Field 58B gravel and sandstone blocks were turned up by the plough. Paved surface found with a gravel top c. SJ5930 9313.

Further south, five holes were dug in Field 58C across the width of the road. The two outer holes showed traces of gravel, the three central holes showed gravel on sandstone. Road also sectioned in next field to south - Field 88. 1929 road was sectioned and revealed sandstone blocks 24ft wide on a thin layer of gravel and sand.

Phase II - Delph Lane to Clambrook Bridge. No trace of road passing through the grounds of Winwick Mental Hospital. In Sept 1928 probing failed to find the OS course of Roman road between Delph Lane and Mill Lane

Road found further east in Field 153, south of Delph Lane - three holes were dug revealing sandstone blocks embedded in soil containing gravel. Sandstone rubble was used for levelling with gravel on top (c. SJ6015 9210).

Road next revealed in Field 375 near Hulme Smithy (c. SJ6030 9165); Field with milestone (c. SJ6030 9150); opposite east end of Mill Lane (c. SJ6033 9144); and in the field north-east of Clambrook Bridge (c. SJ6038 9103). Road shown to pass just to the east of Clambrook Bridge. Road in this phase varies between 24ft and 32ft wide, composed of sandstone blocks and gravel. One piece of black Roman pottery was found in Field 375 (c. SJ6030 9165).

Phase III - Clambrook Bridge to St Elphin's Church. In this phase the road changed direction five times. The subsoil was very wet in places and sandstone blocks were badly perished. Very little gravel was seen in situ on top of the sandstone foundation. Curved organic layer was found on the west and east side of the road in various places - poss line of ditch. Road course found west of Clambrook Cottages (c. SJ6040 9095); then runs slightly to east of present Winwick-Warrington main road; found to south of Long Lane; east of Antrobus Street (c. SJ6070 8980) up to railway line. South of railway line, ground very disturbed (c. SJ6098 8933), but road found north of Warrington Grammar School and finally in Rectory garden and field south-east of the Parish church. (c. SJ6155 8832)

<2> Dunlop G & Fairclough B, 1933, The Roman road from Newton Brook to the south of the parish church, Warrington (Article in Journal). SCH7568.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ59SE12/1959 (Index). SCH2487.

In 1959, a causeway was visible 27m wide and 40m long along the course of the Roman road, 16.5m north-east of the indicated OS course c. SJ5916 9332.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ59SE 9,10,11,13/1959 (Index). SCH2487.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ69SW 1,21,24/1959 (Index). SCH2487.

<6> Various, Aerial photographs (Aerial Photograph). SCH128.

For air photos, see NMR 593/1 & 3 and NJH 3504/21 & 22

<7> 'Most infamously bad' - Warrington to Winwick Road (Book). SCH11.

Summary of historical sources for Warrington to Winwick section

<8> Greater Manchester Archaeological Unit, 1991, Alder Root Farm, Winwick. An Archaeological Assessment (Client Report). SCH4191.

Archaeological assessment undertaken in 1991 for the area of the proposed golf course at Alder Root Farm, Winwick. This comprised a desk based study of documentary material, maps and aerial photographs, together with a field survey. Particular attention was given to the potential course of the Roman road from Warrington to Wigan, however, the exact line was not established with any certainty.

<9> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Dickinson, Peter. 29//10/2019 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

Information submitted to the HER by a member of the public who was Clerk of Works during the construction of the M62/ A49 Interchange in 1970/71 at Winwick. Reported that a section of sandstone road surface was found 2.2 metres below the surface. Up to 3.2 metres wide, cut deep into bedrock which was handcut at 30 degrees on either side. Wheel ruts on a sandstone cobbled surface. Road was removed as part of the construction of the motorway bridges on the west side of the motorway. At approximately SJ6022 9194