Monument record MDR15163 - Section of Buxton to Littlechester Roman Road, Shiningford Farm

Observation of drainage operations in advance of the construction of a golf course west of Carsington Water confirmed that the line of the Buxton-Littlechester road ran beneath an alignment of hedgerows either side of Shiningford Farm. This evidence is of possible use in understanding the development of the lead processing zone around Carsington. Despite the 3rd to 4th century structures now submerged below Carsington Water, the presumed site of Lutudarum lacks a focus, presumably an early fort or fortlet as attested at Charterhouse on Mendip, Pumpsaint and Brough-on-Noe. The branch road as identified appears to be skirting round a re-entrant and may suggest the presence of a fort/settlement masked by the medieval earthworks of Carsington village or more probably, the landscaping of Hopton Hall. (1) Peter Wroe noted that there is confusion and ambiguity between the Buxton-Littlechester excavated sections and 'The Street' section of Roman Road excavated by Hunter Archaeological Society in 1982. (2)