Page:History of Manchester (1771), Volume 1, by John Whitaker.djvu/137

 foS T HE H I tfT-O'R V Book I. then took its props* direction, Mid then fwft pointed tewards the fiction w Blackrode. It rdltged aerok the level eyee^ mounted' the little height*, crofled the high road tr> Warrington, and joined the prefeot pfcin and continued remains of it near Hope* Hall. This was even in part the cnftomary road into the pre- fent town from that region of the country as lata < as the prefent century* But in aty this courfe from the river ito the HaH the road iaabfohiteiy invifibfe; and the. remains that begin at the hakes: and extend for two miles together ate the only deciftve arguments of its oourfe. Proceeding along the foot of Harts-hill brow, awl crofting Broomhoufe-lane, it enters the eftate of Hope-Hall. It firft flanted along the fide of Dovehoufe-Croft, has been there turned up by the plough, and appeared to be feven yards in breadth. It is next difcovered in the field which is beyond the old Hope- Hall* and which is denominated the Upper Broad-Hope, by the gravel beneath the forface, and in the next field or the Lower Bw>a4-Hope by the long ridge above it. The feam of the gravel is a certain proof of the read, as the ground is all naturally clay ; and th* sourfe of the ridge is very evident to the eye. In the next or Little Brook- fields when the ground is ploughed, the gnwei appears veuy thick upon the brown furrews* and much thicker at: the extremity of the field and on the margin.- of the itfook, And in ail tfcefe iack^lvres the track of the road is chaurljr marked to the faravbr hy the gareas hrapriaiicy of the co*n upon it. The road here leaving the Hope-Hall eftate and entering the Heath-fields, the gravel is eafily difcovered h*' the fpade in the firft of them, as it erodes the corner of the fiedd> In the fecond Heaths field the ridge of the road appears 'again, but nwrch greater and very considerable, extending ten or twelve yards in width, and! having a, fall ©neither fide. Failing through a comer of the third Heath-^field, the ridge continues, ftill evident bifc re- duced hfc the fourth and" fifth, riies to a very confiderable heJight in the fixth, a*id retains it in Heath- lane and in the field .be- yond it In the laft clofe the elevation of the road appears- equally