Page:History of Manchester (1771), Volume 1, by John Whitaker.djvu/125

$6 ... THE HISTORY Book L channel of the river, and by the prudence of retaining* both in their natural ftate as the principal barriers of the camp upon the fouth. The road to Condate and to Cambodunum commenced at the fame time from the eaftern gate of the Caftrum, and proceeded in the fame line along the eaftern fide of the Caftle- field. At the extremity of the Field the road to Condate muft have left the road to Cambodunum, have winded along the defcent to the river, and a little on this fide of Cornebrook have turned on the right to gain the line in which it fhojuld originally have moved. Paffing from this point along the line of the prefent road, but twifted into little angles by the unequal encroachments of the inclofures upon it, it muft have proceeded through the vil- lage of Stretford to the bridge over the Merfey. And as no ap- pearance of the Roman workmanfhip can at all be ' expefled along the track of the prefent road, (b none are difcoveraWe along the borders of the adjoining fields. Along the unvarying level of thole low meadows particularly which extend from the village to the ford, the leaft elevation of a road would be im- mediately perceived. Along the coat of river-fand which co- vers thofe meadows to a confiderable depth, the leaft ieam of gravel would immediately be diftinguifhed. But as no traces of a ridge appear to the eye above, fo no veftiges of a foundation are difcovered by the fpade below The road, having pafled the meadows and crofted the ford, continues along the courfe of the prefent lane to the village of Crofs-ftreet, and proceeds through it to the once ample extent of Broad-Heath. There the prefent road beginning to wind upon the left and to point towards the little town of Altring- ham, the Roman way deferts it, and, paffing about the middle of the prefent heath, enters the fields that have been lately in- . clofed from it. And in thefe fields the line of the gravel is fre- quently difcovered by the fpade, lying upon the black turf and the white fand. And at the extremity of thefe fields was the road difcovered in the cutting of the new canal, and the traces of it appear to the eye at prefent in the gravelled fide of the bank.