Page:History of Manchester (1771), Volume 1, by John Whitaker.djvu/390

 Chap. X. OF MANCHESTER. 355 ago was difcovcred a pavement near the fouth-weftern extremity of the area, extending more than two yards in brdadth, and feeming to tend nearly parallel with the original ftreet, the line of the road to Ribchefter. And this muft undoubtedly havfc communicated with it by a crofs ftreet. This actually commu- nicated with it by no lefs than three crofs ftreets. One was laid along the margin of the foffe, and the remains of it, a narrow caufeway about a yard in breadth, have been recently dug up for feverai yards by the gardiner. Another was lately found along the northern hedge of the firft great garden ; and 4 third about an equal diftance from both, remaining only about half a yard in width. And five or fix years ago was difcovered another pavement, fituated almoft as much to the eaft as the
 * former was to the weft of the principal ftreet, and lying three

yards in breadtli and three quarters of a yard in depth. This commenced near the northern hedge of the Caftle-ficld and in the middle of the private gardens, ftretched obliquely acrofs that and the neighbouring garden, pointed lefs obliquely acrofs the neighbouring lane, and evidently carried a dire&ion towards Aldporton Fold, And the three connecting ftreets on the weft of the Ribchefter ftreet muft have been afluredly anfwered by three others on the eaft, and the town have been modelled into a iigure fbmewhat compact and fquarifti. The great body of the buildings muft have occupied only the fpace which is ntow" taken: up with one great and feverai little gardens, which is bounded by the high bank, the ftationary foffe, Aldport-lane, and a large garden, and which contains about feven acres and a half in ex- tent. All this ground appears to be ftrikingly diftingutfhed from the large garden to the north of it by the plainly fa&itious na- ture of its foil and by the difperfed rubbifh of antient buildings along it. In the intervals formed by the interferon of thefe ftreets fome vacant area was certainly laid out for a market-place. Markets were firft introduced into Britain by the Romans, and are therefore diftinguilhed by the Roman apppellation of Marchnads Among the Welch, of Marchats among the Armoricans, and of Alargaidhs among the Irilh. Market-places are cxprefsly declared Z z z to