THE ROMAN ROAD CONNECTING THE STATIONS AT BOROUGH BRIDGE AND KIRKBY
THORE.
The earliest historic record respecting the North of England was
made by Tacitus, from whose works we learn that the Roman armies
led by Agricola first advanced into this district and conquered the
inhabitants then known as the Western Brigantes in the year A.D. 79, in
the reign of the Emperor Vespasian.
The base of Agricola's operations was Chester, (Deva), the station
occupied by the 20th Legion; with these he advanced northwards by the
modern towns of Manchester, Preston and Overborough, and up the vale of
Lune to Borough Bridge, at each place forming a station and connecting
them by roads cut through the forests; the last station he placed in
the only pass by which Westmorland could be conveniently entered from
the south-west.[1] From Borough Bridge the road had gone nearly direct
to Kirkby Thore, traversing the whole length of the vale of Lyvennet.
Many antiquarians supposed it went to Brougham, but the name Wicker
Street applied to an extensive hill on the west side of Crosby--a name
significant of a Roman way--led to examination a few years ago and a
road was found traceable from near Black Dub to Dale Banks, a distance
of more than two miles, indisputably in the direction of Kirkby Thore:
it is regularly formed and rounded in the middle, about thirty feet
across, the ground being generally hard and dry; no trace of paved work
is to be found.
The march of Agricola's army is said to have been straight as the
track of a sunbeam, and his roads are generally considered to be
carried in a direct line surmounting every obstruction. However this
may have been in an open country, it is more reasonable to suppose
that in a district like this they would overcome a difficult ascent
by deviating to the right or left. In leaving Borough Bridge they
have crossed the Lune twice, considerably to the right, in preference
to going straight over the steep hills and numerous ravines of Loups
Fell, which would have been almost impossible; then again, where are
the first traces of the road, instead of ascending the steep cliff of
the scar near Bousfield How, they have gone to the west, ascending
and so coming by easier gradients to the top of Wicker Street. This
is the most commanding point overlooking the vale of Lyvennet, and no
doubt, as its name implies, it was an important point to the invading
Roman armies, Wicker Street according to some authorities meaning "the
gateway of the pass." It was from this point probably that Agricola's
army first beheld our lovely valley; for he, after establishing a
stronghold at the gorge of the mountain pass at Borough Bridge would
either lead or send out a party of soldiery to survey the country
northwards, a district abounding in forests and fastnesses in which
roamed the fierce and revengeful Britons; their scouts would of course
avoid the craggy heights of Orton Scar, and following up the course of
the stream from the north be led to ascend by the way along which the
road was afterwards laid out: though we may reasonably allow that all
the low districts were at that time densely wooded, yet it is highly
probable that on the high lands were extensive openings clear of wood,
or perhaps here and there patches of brushwood; such the character of
the soil and its general void of wood at the present time leads us to
imagine; the only brush now to be seen is on the top of the hill and
known as Wicker Street Thorn, which, like the Shap Thorn and Johnny
Hall Trees is a guide mark for many miles round. Here by the side of
the road is a square oblong enclosure of earth and stones which, after
the construction of the road perhaps served as a _mons exploratorum_
by which, and others such, the garrison at Borough Bridge could be
warned of the approach of the enemy. The road from this point descends
and crosses the Blea Beck; an embankment has been raised on each side
and brought near together; quantities of huge boulders have been used
to bank it up and probably form a culvert. From here it crosses Slack
Randy, passing near some entrenchments and curious stone circles called
Yow Locks and descends Long Dale. In this field on the brow of the hill
above Dale Banks is what antiquarians affirm to be a British village;
it presents earthworks covering three or four acres of ground: these
consist of irregular squares, circles, &c., formed of earth thrown up
to the height of from one to three feet.[2]
Continuing the course of the road, it is traceable to the bottom
of the hill, where it has crossed Odindale beck, after which all
further traces have been obliterated by enclosures and the plough; the
direction however is straight for Kirkby Thore, crossing the Lyvennet
near Dairy Bridge, where there is an ancient paved wath, then past
Lofterns and over Castriggs in King's Meaburn township, across the
Eden about two hundred yards above the present bridge at Bolton, where
there are remains of an abutment, as of a bridge, with mason-work and
grouting now overgrown with brushwood; thence in the direction of
Kirkby Thore joining the more important road known as Watling Street
from Bowes in Yorkshire. No remains of decided Roman character have
ever been found in connection with this road, but this is accounted
for by the fact that no settlement was made in the valley, it
being but a thoroughfare along which passed and repassed the Roman
legions employed in the somewhat vain attempt to subjugate the wild
Caledonians. It is possible this road or track was previously used, but
of this we have no proof, but from that time up to the making of the
present road over Shap Fell it was used as the great highway between
the southern parts of England and Scotland.
[1] The route by Overborough, Borough Bridge and Kirkby Thore was the
Maiden Way; but it is probable that Agricola's first advance to this
district was made along the coast.
[2] For full details of the most recent excavations and finds, with
plans, see reports on "A Romano-British settlement at Ewe Close, Crosby
Ravensworth," by W. G. Collingwood, F.S.A., (1907-8) _Transactions_,
Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archæological Society, N.S.,
vols. viii. and ix.