Page:History of Manchester (1771), Volume 1, by John Whitaker.djvu/212

Chap. VL OF MANCHESTER, i*j its overlooking all the low grounds of Salfbrd and Strangeways* and commanding a diftant view of the country even as far as Horwich Moor ; it had the Roman road to Ribchefter ftretching along the weftern fide of it, it ftill fhews the ftriking remains of an antient ditch along the fbuthern and eaftern fides, and it juft contains within its limits the requifite number of acres for a iummer-camp* The area comprized within the ditch and the rivers is exa&ly twelve Hat ute- acres and a half in compafs* The fofle, commencing from the lofty margin of the Irke and from that point of it where the common fewer now dis- charges its waters into the river, was not carried in a right line through the high ridge that dire&ly opposed its courfe, buj curved along the ground which muft then have been fomewhat lower than the reft, and which now forms the ftreets of Toad-lane and of Hanging-ditch. The names of the ftreets evince the general dire&ion, and the aipeft of the ftreets demonftrates the particular nature, of the fofle. The line of both ftill curves as the channel curved. And the level of both ftill exhibits the hollow of a channel bounded upon each fide by a fteepy ridge* In the narrow ftreet of Toad-lane die breadth of the channel, commenfurate nearly with the width of the ftreet, appears to have been only four or five yards at the margin. In the larger ftreet of Hanging-ditch the width of the channel, commenfurate equally with the breadth of the ftreet, appears to have opened into eight or ten yards at the margin. And at the weftern termination of the Hanging-ditch, making a considerable curve on the right in order undoubtedly to avoid the knoll at the end of Cateaton- ftreet and to fweep along the lower ground to the right of it, it runs very deep and very broad to the Irwell, The northern line of the houfefr in Cateaton-ftreet and all the buildings of the Hanging-bridge are feated within the channel of it. And the road to the church is carried over it upon two lofty arches of ftone* For the greater (Security of a ftation which had in all probability no vallum either of ftone or of earth about it, the Romans naturally trenched through the whole width 1 of the ground from the lrke to the Irwell. For the greater coolnefe 5 o£ i