Page:Roman Manchester (1900) by Charles Roeder.djvu/167

 boulder stones about 9 feet wide was found, at a depth of 7 feet, pointing in a line from Fennel Street, or rather from Long Millgate, of which the ancient Vennel, "a narrow road stretching east-west from the northern side of the cathedral" (Hibbert-Ware), seems to be a continuation. Casting a glance at the "Map of Hunt's Bank," which I have prepared, its particular position seems to urge us almost to think that the Blackstone Edge road had its rise here, and thence passed into Long Millgate. Let us hear what Stukeley says: "I find the Roman road went across the churchyard originally and so by the common street (Long Millgate and Smithy Lane) to the bridge over the Irk, called Scotland Bridge, then it ascends the hill and proceeds with its original direction north-east to Rochdale."

It probably passed along Red Bank, left the Peel on the left side, and proceeded along the Brows to Smedley, on its way to Blackley. The Rev. John Watson tells us: "From the end of Long Millgate at Manchester this road went through Blackley, near the foot road to Middleton, leaving Alkrington House to the west; crossing over the meadows to Middleton Hall, and over the Barrow fields, as the foot road goes over Hopwood Demesne to Trub Smithy, and leaving Castleton Moor and Castleton Hall to the left, over the enclosures to the ground lying a little to the right of the guide-post, near Rochdale Town End; then crosses the enclosures over a ridge of land to Belfield Lane, and leaving Newbold Hall about two fields breadth to the east up the valley to Stubley Demesne, leaving Littleborough on the east, and near Pikehouse up the Light-owlers, on the north side of the hollow up Blackstone Edge."