Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/20

8 one side of it, and in some places it appears to have had a rampart on each side. Near the place where this ditch crosses the river Kirkbeck I lately found an ancient stone weapon, resembling a large chisel, about a foot long. This ditch may possibly have been a line of defence at some early period, and the Romans may have followed it as a guide; or it may have formed an ancient boundary line between the counties of Cumberland and Northumberland. As it occurs so often in this survey, I shall call it, by way of distinction, the "Ancient Ditch."

(900 yards.) At 2330 yards it enters the Snowdon Close out-pasture at the point where the stone wall terminates, and where the rail fence commences. In this field it is also raised, and has had a ditch on the west side of it. Here we escape from the bleakness of the Fell range, and look down upon the green meadows and woodland glades of the vale of the river King.

(860 yards.) Pursuing its way through some small enclosures, at 3190 yards, it arrives at the rapid river King, rattling along down its rocky ravine, and crosses it a short way above the Slittery ford. The north bank of the river is very steep at the point of crossing, and would afford ample scope for the engineering powers of the Romans. There is an immense quantity of stones lying on the north bank, but it is difficult to say whether they have formed part of a bridge or not, as a large bed of freestone rock crosses the river at the same place. I could find no traces of Roman masonry, and yet the general appearance of the place would lead one to suppose that there must have been a bridge. Here the Maiden Way enters into the Ash low-pasture, and the cart-road joins it immediately on the bank and passes along it. The northern bank of the river is covered with small bushes, and winds around the Slittery Ford field.

(550 yards.) At 3740 yards it enters the Ash Fell. The way is very distinct just within the gate on the north side, and shows a row of edging-stones on each side. The row on the west side is about 16 yards long. The road here has been 15 feet wide. The stones have been placed so as to form an incline from the crown to the side, many of them being raised at the end nearest the centre, and resting upon the ends of those that are nearer the crown of the road. These would undoubtedly be the foundation stones of the