Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/14

2 the west side of the Reagarth, and are in the same straight line as the Maiden Way on the north side of the wall. After passing the Reagarth about a quarter of a mile, they then turn a little more to the east across the Reagarth ground, and enter upon Hartleyburn Fell, nearly direct south of an old building called the "Colonel's Lodge." Here the trace becomes entirely obliterated, in consequence of the soft spongy nature of the ground and the thick herbage, but it is aiming direct for Ulpham, (query, from the Welsh, Gwylfa, a Watch-tower?) The trace which I found may be about two miles in length, and another mile would enable it to form a junction with the main line leading to the north east, or to Carvorran. This branch, if it ever existed, would reduce the distance to Birdoswald about seven miles, which would be of great importance to troops passing from England into Scotland.

There has hitherto been a doubt as to the point where the Maiden Way started from the Roman Wall, and also as to the line of its progress to the north. Mr. Hutchinson, in his History of Cumberland, Vol. i. p. 63, says that "it passes through Carvorran, and extends along the northern parts of this county, over the heights, to the east of Bewcastle, in a direction almost duly north, and enters Scotland near Lamyford, where it crosses the river Kirksop." It is very possible, however, that Mr. Hutchinson's statement may have been made without due examination, as I cannot hear of any place bearing the name of the "Maiden Way" on the north side of Carvorran, or in the direction of Lamyford. There is no place bearing the name of Lamyford known on the Kershope river at the present day. I find it mentioned, however, in Denton's MS. as one of the boundaries of Cumberland; "Christianbury-Crag unto Lamyford where Cumberland makes a narrow point northwards. There the river Liddal, on the north-west side, runs down between Scotland and Cumberland." So that the Lamyford must have been somewhere near the junction of the rivers Liddal and Kershope. I find two roads branching from the Maiden Way to the north-west; the one from the station at Bewcastle, and the other from the Crew. I have traced each of these roads for some distance, and if they continued their courses onwards they would unite, and enter into Scotland somewhere near this ancient Lamyford. The