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Monument record MDR11569 - Roman Road (conjectural route of), Brough to Melandra, High Peak

Type and Period (1)

  • (Roman - 43 AD to 409 AD)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Full Description

Roman road, Brough to Melandra (Margary 711). A large proportion of this road is lost, either by erosion or burial under peat. A direct line between the forts is blocked by Kinder Scout, at 2003 feet (631 m) the most formidable barrier in the Peak. The Roman surveyors solved the problem by using the Noe and Woodlands valleys to outflank the high ground, crossing the main hill mass to the north of Kinder where the terrain was smoother and lower. It was laid out in four main alignments, each with slight course corrections to cope with obstacles encountered. A total of 30 full and several partial sections were cut along the course of the road and these show two main periods. The road was completely rebuilt once and, judging from some of the sections, the first road was overgrown and therefore disused. This could perhaps imply a re-occupation of one or both of the forts. There is also a third period when the second road was in commission but suffering from wear and tear. Several of the sections show that a shallow top dressing was the last work carried out. Part of the road over the moors now lies beneath 8 feet (2.4m) of peat. (1) The line of the Roman road between the fort at Brough and Melandra Castle has been investigated in some detail, with some sections being dug across it in places. The course of the road cannot be identified with certainty along its whole length. In some places it has probably been destroyed by erosion, landslips, forestry work and peat accumulation. Two alternative approaches to Melandra are possible, leading to and from either the south entrance or the east entrance to the fort. (2) One section just north of Navio possibly can be seen as a cropmark. (3)

Sources/Archives (3)

  • <1> Article in serial: Wroe, P. 1982. 'Roman roads in the Peak District'. pp 56-58.
  • <2> Bibliographic reference: Wroe, P. 2000. A Roman Road between the Roman fort, Navio, at Brough-on-Noe and Melandra Castle, Glossop. HER Doc. No. 982.
  • <3> Correspondence: Wroe, P. 2012. Letter regarding possible crop mark showing route of Navio, October 3rd 2012.

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SK 09496 88894 (17230m by 12258m) (2 map features)
Civil Parish CHARLESWORTH, HIGH PEAK, DERBYSHIRE
Civil Parish GLOSSOP, HIGH PEAK, DERBYSHIRE
Civil Parish HOPE, HIGH PEAK, DERBYSHIRE
Civil Parish HOPE WOODLANDS, HIGH PEAK, DERBYSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (2)

  • EDR3626
  • EDR3885

Please contact the HER for details.

External Links (0)

Record last edited

Feb 12 2024 4:51PM

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