More information : A Roman road was recorded during the RCHME: Bolesford Project. It
is visible as a cropmark in two areas. The first between, SE 6335 6271 and SE 6361 6336, consists of two parallel ditches which are 700m long and run in SW-NE direction.
The second section, between SE 6375 6395 and SE 6374 6416, has two parallel ditches which run in a N-S direction with the western side possibly having a second ditch. Vertical photography shows a spread of paler soil which lies in the area between the two main ditches which could represent a agger.
Between the two visible sections the road probably continues to one side of Shellik Sike Beck before crossing it at SE 6375 6378. The road then continues in a northerly direction and possibly crosses the Foss at SE 6373 6442.
On the opposite side of the river immediately north of Lilling Low Lane, a hedgeline, more or less straight for 500m to one side of Howl Beck, forms a parish boundary and may fossilise the continuation of the road. Immediately to the east of Howl Beck is a very wide bank which rises in places almost 2m above the boggy ground. Whether this is part of the Roman road or some geomorphological feature cannot be ascertained without excavation.
For a plan and a report which includes a list of photography used, see archive (Collection UID 918847). (1)
The Roman road was re-examined and plotted at 1,10 000 scale as part of the RCHME: Vale of York NMP project and found to be largely as described by authority (1). Some additional traces of the road were discovered, in particular a small length of parallel ditches north of Strensall between SE 62896128 - SE 62846106. The locations of the two sections described by authority (1) are revised to SE 63196221 - SE 63606340 and SE 63716421 - SE 63736397. Between these last sections a lighter band of vegetation suggested the presence of a bank or agger but it may be more to do with a no longer extant section of the Shellik Sike Beck. (2-5) |