Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/263

 FROM THE ROJIAX WALL NORTHWARD INTO SCOTLAND. 227 person of observant habits, used to say that the JMaiden Way passed up this part of Broadside. Although we cannot find any decided traces of the Way in this locahty, I think we are warranted both by tradition and by genei'al appear- ances in supposing that the road continues forwards in a straight hue, past Skelton Pike, and with shght divergences onwards into Scotland, the ancient name of Maiden Way having been converted in places, into names of a modern character. Another old man informs me, that in his youth he was very much in the habit of travelling across these hills into Scotland, and that he had followed the Maiden Way scores of times all the way into Scotland. On minute inquiry I found that he alluded to the " Ancient Ditcli,^' which he had always heard called the ]Iaiden Way. It appears from this, however, that up to the commencement of the present century, there had been a tradition of the Maiden Way passing over these hills in this direction. (1950 yards.) At 7380 yards it crosses the Awarded road on Blacklyne Common at the point Avhere the peat road turns up the hill. There is an appearance of an ancient conduit here. This is on the east side of the cottage called Kettlehall, where Sir James Graham's game-watcher lives. (270 yards.) At 7650 ^^ards it crosses the Kettle Syke.'^ A footpath called the Smuggler's road joins it here and passes along it. Thus an ancient right of road is preserved, although the name is lost. From this syke the ground rises at first rather abruptly, and then assumes a gently- The Cross ; an ancient fortress near the Maiden Way. sloping ascent for 300 yards, passing over a hill called the Cross, which has undoubtedly at some period been a place of considerable strength. The form is here shown. It has been protected by the deep and rugged syke on the south- 7 Syke, a ditch, a brook that dries up in summer. Brit, sjch, dry.