Page:History of Manchester (1771), Volume 1, by John Whitaker.djvu/108

Chap. IV, OF -MANCHESTER. St And the road from Coccium to Mailcunium and from Man- cunium to Condate is thus given us III Richard's loth Iter, And thus in Antonine's, From COCCIUM From COCCIUM MANCUNIO i8 MANCUNIO m. p. 17 CONDATE 23 CONDATE 18 Mediolano 18; Mediolano 18* We are concerned only with fuch of thefe ftations as are the firft ftages from Mancunium. And let us begin with Cambo- dunum and the road to it. The road to that ftation mtift have commenced from the eaftem gate of the Caftrum, and would naturally have ilanted along the left-hand fide of the Caftle-field and the right-hand of the adjoin- ing gardens. But the pofition of the gate and the intervention of the ditch muft have prevented the route. And the road appears to have proceeded in a very gentle (lant upon the left to the extremity of the Caftle-field, and in one common ftea* along it for the roads to two other ftations. At the extremity of the Field muft all the roads have commenced, and have taken the proper lines •<of their feveral deftinations* At this extremity the road was cut down from the furface tothebafein the year 1765, and the materials of it lay plainly diftinguiflied from the natural gravel of the ground by the melted bricks and the broken mill-ftones which were found incorporated with them. It ap- peared to be coftftru&ed with a ftrong gravel mingled with large boulders and rocky fragments* And the whole road was abdut fourteen yards ih breadth and a yard and an half in depth. Leaving this common item, which was the grand avenue into the camp, and was therefore conftru&ed with an unufual breadth, the road muft have begun its courfe to York, have crofled the prefent highway, have entered the oppofite garden, and have flanted to the right of the prefent windmill. Leav- ing the garden, and paffing by the wind-mill on the left, it muft have pointed through the left-hand corner of the dye- houfe beyond both* muft have croffed the Infirmary-lane, and miift have left an hiay-ftand very ciofely and the two new houfes JVf more