The Road to Wigan, RR70b: Excavation at Land Gate

Miller, IF

Abstract

An archaeological excavation in 2018 confirmed the precise course of the Wilderspool to Wigan Roman
road (Margary, 1973 RR70b) as it continues northwards from Ashton-in-Makerfield in Greater
Manchester. Whilst the surface of the road had been removed almost entirely from a combination of
agricultural practice and more recent development, the excavation uncovered the sandstone
foundations and the associated drainage ditches. The recovery of Roman and medieval pottery from
one of these ditches implies that the road persisted as a landscape feature, and its route seemingly
remained in use as a thoroughfare, for a considerable period after the collapse of Roman
administration.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 11, 2020
• Publication Date: May 23, 2021
• Deposit Date: May 26, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: May 26, 2021
• Journal: Itinera
• Print ISSN: 2039-9251
• Publisher: Università degli Studi di Milano (University of Milan)
• Volume: 1
• Pages: 15-28
• Publisher URL: http://www.romanroads.org/Itinera/itinera_vol1.html
• Related Public URLs: http://www.romanroads.org/itinera.html