Rudgate |
| Hob Uid: 1009681 | |
Location :
North Yorkshire
Leeds, Harrogate, Selby
Bilton-in-Ainsty with Bickerton, Newton Kyme cum Toulston, Tadcaster, Stutton with Hazlewood, Thorp Arch, Cattal, Green Hammerton, Whixley, Tockwith, Wighill, Walton
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| Grid Ref : SE4580041400 |
| Summary : Roman road from Headley Bar, Tadcaster to Whixley surviving in part as an earthwork and visible as cropmarks on air photographs. |
More information : (SE 460 430-SE 454 515) Rudgate (TI) ROMAN ROAD (NAT) (Course of)(1)
From Toulston Lodge (SE 4542) a Roman road (RR280) runs due north near Walton to Cattal (SE 4454) and Whixley (SE 4458) where it joins RR8a. It is a narrow and somewhat winding road to near Walton, but the rest runs in straight lengths and is somewhat raised. Parish boundaries follow it for considerable distances. The River Wharfe was crossed a mile to the east of Thorp Arch, but the crossing has long been out of use, and is now approached from the south by a green lane. On the north it is obstructed for a mile by wartime constructions, but beyond Walton it is still in use throughout. Its junction with the northern road (RR8a) makes it clear that Rudgate is the later of the two. (2)
The part of RR280 north from St. Helen's Ford is known as Rudgate.(3)
The southern half of the course of this road was investigated in the field in November 1961 (a)(see map strips with OS Linear Archive File) and confirmed that the road joined RR28b at Headleybar Plantation and not RR72b at Toulston Lodge as postulated by I.D Margary (Authy 2). From the plantation it was visible as a spread stoney ridge over arable fields to Robshaw Hole. North of the Hole the course was indicated for the major part by modern roads and paths. The complete course was re-investigated in June 1963, from its junction with RR28b to its northern terminal on RR8a at Whixley Grange. Accepted deviations from previously accepted modern road alignments at Newton Kyme were indicated by AP evidence and at Crossgate Farm there are slight remains of the road (b) accepted by the RCHM (c) (4)
(SE 456 457 - SE 457 460) Apparent line on AP(a) due mainly to new post and rail fence immediately north of river. Nothing on ground to suggest course of road. (5)
The Rudgate (RR280) branches from the Roman Ridge (RR28b) west of Jackdaw Crag Quarry and runs north to Aldborough, crossing the Wharfe at Newton Kyme Fort. It is aligned on the south gate of the early fort and is therefore dated to the first century. Although the agger survived to a height of 5ft into modern times, it is now considerably reduced by ploughing and only survives intermittently. It is visible in parts as soil or cropmarks on air photographs. Rudgate was sectioned at four places in Tadcaster West parish in 1960, 1962 and 1966. (6)
See Linear archive file for further details on map strips (7)
A 550 metres section of road (recorded in SE 44 NE 32), aligned north-south, lies south of Newton Kyme Roman fort, visible as cropmarks on air photographs. Flanking the road are trackways and an extensive 'vicus' (see SE 44 NE 32). There is no evidence on air photographs to suggest that the road continues beyond the north side of the fort to the River Wharfe, or continues on the north bank of the river Wharfe at this point. This section of road south of the fort may therefore terminate at the south gate of the small earlier fort.The attested route of Rudgate Roman road (RR280) lies to the west, aligned along a green lane and continues to St Helen's Ford. However there was no evidence on air photographs for its conjectured course on the north bank of the Wharfe.
(8)
Another section of RR 280 (LIN 247) is visible as cropmarks on air photographs, extending for 700 metres north to south, from SE 4595 4217 to SE 4485 4150.
(9) |