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Historic England Research Records

Maiden Way

Hob Uid: 1001823
Location :
Cumbria
Eden
Northumberland
Ousby, Hartleyburn, Featherstone, Greenhead, Coanwood, Melmerby, Culgaith, Milburn, Knaresdale with Kirkhaugh, Alston Moor, Newbiggin, Glassonby, Kirkby Thore
Grid Ref : NY6300025600
Summary : Roman road running from Kirby Thore to Carvoran. Still largely visible as trackways, green roads and earthworks. Margary's Road no. 84.
More information : Maiden Way - RR 84 - Kirkby Thore to Carvoran.

A very isolated road leading off from RR 82 (Brough - Penrith road) and after climbing over the Pennines on Melmerby Fell above Kirkland, passes to the west of Alston, keeping along the western side of the South Tyne valley and approaching the zone of Hadrian's Wall near Greenhead. It connected with Stanegate (RR 85a) outside Carvoran (Magna) Roman Fort (NY 66 NE 12). The route was described in detail by W. Bainbridge in 1851 (a) and over much of the course there has been little change since.
The first mile from its junction with the RR 82 shows no trace through the fields where it was formerly seen. The road is seen as a hard green terraceway at the first steep climb through the narrow cleft known as Argill or Ardale. On top of Melmerby Fell its condition was noted as perfect, in the form of an agger 2-3 feet high, 21 feet wide with large stones at the sides. It continues as a hard green track towards Rowgill Burn continuing in a NNE direction over Gilderdale Forest, The Sloat and Gilderdale Burn to the east side of Whitley Castle ( NY 64 NE 1) and then as a modern road for several miles to Knarsdale. An older track slants up the hillside as a hollow way at the Burnstones Inn but then it becomes a flat and heathery strip 12 feet wide as viewed southward from beyond the Glendue Burn. Up the hill beyond, the road appears as as a well-raised agger, 18 feet wide and 2 feet high and continues almost due north towards Carvoran. (1-2)

There is no sign of the Maiden Way on available air photographs for the stretch between NY 6645 6500 to NY 6646 6000 (NY 66 SE). (3)
Sources :
Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : Margary I D (1973) Roman Roads in Britain, p393-395. London
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Source Number : 1a
Source :
Source details : W Bainbridge, in Archaeologia Aeliana, vol 4, p36
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Source Number : 1b
Source :
Source details : F Haverfield: A Report of the Cumberland Excavation Committee, 1895, p196
Page(s) : 196
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Vol(s) : 14, 1897
Source Number : 1c
Source :
Source details : RG Collingwood: Two Roman Mountain-Roads
Page(s) : 01-Dec
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Vol(s) : 37, 1937
Source Number : 2
Source :
Source details : Ordnance Survey Linear Archive File RR 84 in NMRC
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Source Number : 3
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Monument Types:
Monument Period Name : Roman
Display Date : Roman
Monument End Date : 410
Monument Start Date : 43
Monument Type : Road
Evidence : Documentary Evidence, Sub Surface Deposit, Earthwork
Components and Objects:
Related Records from other datasets:
External Cross Reference Source : Roman Road Number
External Cross Reference Number : RR 84
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : CU 275
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : LINEAR 224
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Related Activities :
Associated Activities :
Activity type : WATCHING BRIEF
Start Date : 1997-01-01
End Date : 1997-12-31
Associated Activities :
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 2002-01-01
End Date : 2008-12-31
Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 2011-01-01
End Date : 2011-12-31
Associated Activities :
Activity type : WATCHING BRIEF
Start Date : 2015-01-01
End Date : 2015-12-31