Location :
Cumbria
Eden
Clifton, Tebay, Crosby Ravensworth, Sleagill, Newby, Orton, Cliburn, Brougham, Lowther, Great Strickland
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More information : RR 7d Roman Road. Low Borrow Bridge - Brougham.
After passing the fort at Low Borrow Bridge (NY 60 NW 1) the present main road follows the course of the Roman road for a mile to Lune's Bridge, passing along the steep slopes of Jeffreys Mount. At the valley of the Borrow Beck, a branch road RR 707 led off south west to Kendal. Where the main road crosses Lune's Bridge by a sharp turn the Roman road continues as a hollow way straight down to the river which was evidently forded. Beyond the river and past Tebay, the course is unknown, but it seems to have recrossed to the west bank beyond Tebay, crosing Birk Beck about 150 yards above its confluence with the Lune.
The road is traceable again as a hollow 300 yards west of Daniel Hill farmhouse, and then over Orton Low Moor to near Sproatgill Farm where the agger, up to 21 feet wide between ditches is visible. The road is not raised but shows as a strip of grass or heather with the ditches somewhat deepened by water action. Towards Sproatgill it has been obscured by recent ploughing and beyond the farm a wall, parish boundary and footpath follow the road until just beyond the crossing of the Orton - Shap road. Then the wall and boundary turn north-eastward, but the Roman road and footpath continue straight onto Crosby Ravensworth Fell. The road makes a curve on to a north-east alignment to pass through a depression between Long Scar Pike and Howe Nook Pike. On Coalpit Hill the footpath leaves the road and a grassy strip of the road with ditches, is traceable, passing a little west of the tumulus on a limestone summit (NY 61 SW 13). Here it is known as Wicker Street and continues as a grassy strip down the hill to the raised approach of a culvert over Blea Beck. It is again traceable through the fields as a strip of grass, following the same alignment, and passing just to the west of the Romano-British settlement at Ewe Close (NY 61 SW 10). Excavation near the setlement showed that the metalled road was 20 feet wide.
Beyond Dalebanks Beck there is no trace for a quarter of a mile, but north east of Haber farmhouse, a fence marks the line, running slightly west of north. This is then followed continuously to Low Wood Beck by fences, lanes and footpaths, passing just east of Haberwain to Wickerslack.
Beyond Wickerslack a lane and footpath mark it to Brown Bank where the agger is visible along the west side of a fence. The beck [Low Wood Beck] was forded at the south east corner of Spring Wood where the road began a new north west alignment which was rigidly followed for over five miles. The footpath beside the wood marks it at first and then the alignment continues through Reagill. The present road to Sleagill is close to its line, first in the fields on the west, then east and then west again, crossing Sleagill Beck at a ford and then through the village. The road to Newby is followed for a mile then the line runs through the fields to the west of Newby; the agger being visible before it is rejoined by the present road beyond the village called The Street. This folows the alignment rigidly for one and a quarter miles to where the present road turns eastwards and the Roman alignment continues straight and is visible as a faint ridge across the corner of a field into a wood. A fence then continues it, passing Gilshaughlin House where slight turn to the north west was made. There is now no trace for two and a half miles, but the alignment would cross the Appleby - Penrith road near the turning to Lowther Castle and then at Moorhouse Farm, the final mile to Brougham seems to be marked by Moor Lane. For continuation of this road nortwards see RR 7e (LINEAR 307) (1)
See Linear Archive File for further details. (2)
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