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Date: 18/10/07
Name: David Ratledge
E-mail: david.ratledge@env.lancscc.gov.uk
Comment: Robert,
I counted the the road endings on the 1845 map and found 6! However, as at least 2 are turnpikes the original number is difficult to determine. I assume the bar is reference to the turnpikes.
As regards a possible Roman Road on the south bank from Walton to Ribchester, I had always postulated it would have gone via Cuerdale Lane, Huntley Gate, Balderstone, Park Gate and joined the main road somewhere near Showley - but that's just my speculation.
Date: 17/10/07
Name: Robert
E-mail: Hallmunday@aol.com
Comment: Does anyone know that the real name for five barred gate at Samlesbury is the five barred street and not the reference to the fact there was ever a five barred -or runged- gate there. If you count the road endings on the 1840's map, you should find there are five. One of them is still a footpath which is well worth the walk as the original route appears as a well defined hollow before passing the Catholic chapel. I can only imagine this convergment is very ancient, and that the Roman road from Ribchester to Walton le Dale (assuming that one existed), passed near here. I believe it followed the S bank of Ribble and might have joined the Manchester route near Ramsgreave signal station, also marked on the 1840's map (Mellor).
Date: 17/08/07
Name: David Ratledge
E-mail: david.ratledge@env.lancscc.gov.uk
Comment: Sheila - Newton-le-Willows is a bit out of our area but I have checked and the line of the Roman Road is plotted across Newton on the latest Ordnance Suvery 1:10,000 maps. I guess your library will have these maps.
The road would have been used by generations following the Romans but with no maintenance then boggy patches and worn away bits would be bypassed. New communities would develop and the road would divert to connect them - hence we end up with the A49 only in a few places (eg Haydock) now still on the Roman line.
Date: 17/08/07
Name: Sheila
E-mail: She_mughal@yahoo.co.uk
Comment:Calling all experts on ROMAN ROADS-
We are having a discussion on our local website forum ( www.newton-le-willows.co.uk ) as to where the Roman Road passed through our town and how closely the route of the present A49 runs to the road location. Would anyone have any maps of the Cheshire/Merseyside area that plots there roads.
Also- can anyone tell me why so many of these roads are now under fields and houses and were not used by the generations following on from the Roman occupation? If they were the most economica way to get from a to b, why did we lose so many of them?
Date: 13/08/07
Name: David Ratledge
E-mail: david.ratledge@env.lancscc.gov.uk
Comment: Meanygate.
The gate bit is the easiest - it means road.
Meany - at least the one in Farington is derived from Main Wain Gate. Waingates were roads parallel to Kings Highways for wains ie wagons. It was a way of keeping slow heavy traffic off the most important roads.
Date: 07/08/07
Name: Chris Porter
E-mail: cporter@preston.ac.uk
Comment: Can anyone explain the meaning of the word 'Meanygate'? It refers to many roads (e.g. Taylors Meanygate, Long Meanygate etc) in the Tarleton, Hesketh Bank and Farington areas (maybe elsewhere too). Thanks in advance
Date: 22/06/07
Name: Rob Bain
E-mail: info@robbain.com
Comment:Hi
This site is very useful - thanks. I am researching the the history of private sector involvement in UK roads - but get a little lost in the early-mid 1900s. Is it fair to say that, generally, road construction and maintenance was undertaken in-house by public sector administrative bodies at first; and then subsequently contracted-out to the private sector? Is there anything publised that charts or addresses this? Many thanks, Rob Bain (ITS, Leeds)
Date: 16/05/07
Name: David Ratledge
E-mail: david.ratledge@env.lancscc.gov.uk
Comment:Gordon,
Very interesting story! I have had several references to films made for the opening including one made by Raymond Baxter in an open top car shot in colour. I would hope the BBC dig out all the old films for the anniversary.
Date: 16/05/07
Name: Gordon Wright
E-mail: james.wright@redten.net
Comment:When the M6 was opened on the 5th December 1958 by the then Prime Minister Harold McMillan I was a Police Motorcyclist in the Lancashire Constabulary. Two of us were sent to the motorway just before that date and the BBC made a short ducumentary of the do's and dont's of motorway driving. We had to pretend to pull people over and explain what they were doing wrong and point out the correct ways. I remember the weather was inclement and the filming was delayed a little so we spent a good deal of time in the nearby cafe which is now the Tickled Trout Hotel.
Date: 08/05/07
Name: David Beilby
E-mail: david@beilby.gotadsl.co.uk
Comment: An excellent site which I stumbled across by accident. There is very little historical information accessible on the development of the road system. I researched the history of the East Lancs Road myself in a small way some time ago and am pleased to find more information on this most historic road. As an engineer (albeit mechanical rather than civil) I found the story of the construction of the A627(M) fascinating and I will certainly regard it in a new light when I next pass along it!
Date: 21/04/2007
Name: Bryn Buck
E-mail: lmars.bbuck@gmail.com
Comment:Comment: I wouldn't be surprised with the current political climate that the 50th birthday of the M6 is relegated to an 'And Finally' section on BBC North West Tonight or something similar.
This'd be a shame, as the motorway system is quite possibly one of the biggest 'revolutionary' innovations to be brought to the UK in the 20th century.
Date: 09/04/2007
Name: Michael Wilson
E-mail: m.wilson@btinternet.com
Comment: Can you tell me if the council have any plans to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the M6 Preston by Pass. I have been in touch with you previously and it was me who sent you the picture of the coucil workers moving snow in the Trough of Bowland in 1963. I still have two photographs of the time of the widening of the Preson by Pass which was about 1963, they are of me sat on a digger, you can see the road in the background. My interest is that I was there when all the building works was being carried out. Can you tell me what sort of docmentation the council have on record of these times. I believe the council published a book on this subject and gave it to anyone who was working on the site at that time. I met James Drake a couple of times and and also Mr Goodchild, he was the surveyor in charge of the widening of the M6. An interesting book for anyone to read is The Road to Success by Tony Gray, it is the history of Alfred McAlpine 1935 - 1985, in this book it shows different contracts that they carried our for LCC. I noticed that Bob Hayes has made contact with you and I think that I may be able to help him with his enquiry, Sir Linsey Parkinson build the Lancaster by Pass, Dick Hampton carried out the earth moving and at a later stage A. Monk did the third lane to the by pass when it was the M6.
Date: 07/03/2007
Name: David Ratledge
E-mail: david.ratledge@env.lancscc.gov.uk
Comment: Robert,
The ancient causeway across the fell shown on the first edition OS maps seemed to have eluded Graystone although other writers knew about it. It is depicted mostly as a single line which means course inferred rather than seen. I have looked for evidence on the ground several times but found nothing. So whether it is the "real course" needs further research preferably by someone with a spade.
Date: 06/03/2007
Name: Robert
E-mail: Hallmunday@aol.com
Comment: Regards the 'Ancient causeway' running north of the Derby Arms, Thornley, i can only suppose that this is the true course of the Lancaster/Ribchester Roman road, as the one mentioned by Graystone would not be practical, as it does not zig zag (terrace) to cross Longridge fell. I'm surprised that Graystone never noticed this causeway, he can't have been using the right map at the time. Would you also agree that this is the real course?
Date: 16/02/2007
Name: David Ratledge
E-mail: david.ratledge@env.lancscc.gov.uk
Comment:Vincent,
There is a some pre-Roman travel/transport in Leading the Way (Alan Crosby, County Books) - it includes a bit on the very early Kate's Pad. The Ancient History of the Wyre also covers pre-Roman issues - perhaps in a more speculative easy-reading style. The recent excavations at Lathom also found early trackways - see the Lathom Trust website (it wasn't working when I last tried but perhaps it's back working by now).
Date: 16/02/2007
Name: Vincent
E-mail: mr.mallard@virgin.netstrong>Comment: Where do I start to look for Pre-Roman travel and economy?
Date: 17/01/2007
Name: Bob
E-mail: bob.hayes@blueyonder.co.uk
Comment: i would like to know where the building works huts where around the Junction 23 of the M6 when it was being built, in fact any info for that area would be interesting as regaurds to the building of the M6
Date: 17/01/2007
Name: David Ratledge
E-mail: david.ratledge@env.lancscc.gov.uk
Comment:
Robert,
The possible line west of Broughton via Sandygate down to Broadgate was suggested long before Graystone. The problem is that there really is very little hard evidence on (or under) the ground. Is the A6 at Barton really the Roman Road? It looks Roman but it is a turnpike road. The limited evidence/clues is for the road from Walton-le-Dale crossing Preston via Roman Road - Great Pathway Field - St Paul's Road and meeting the Ribchester to Kirkham road "about halfway between Withy Trees and the Barracks". "Graystone's" route is around 1 kilometre west of this and it is difficult to reconcile that route with the likely course across Preston. I am not quite so sure as you that the possible line at Barton lines in with the route south of Leyland. However, until someone actually finds the road we are just speculating.
Keep Looking!
Date: 17/01/2007
Name: Robert
E-mail: Hallmunday@aol.com
Comment: Does the Roman road from Walton le Dale to Lancaster, conform to Graystone's theory, following to the west of Broughton (nr Sandygate lane), or running between Withy trees and the barracks, as you have determined?. I've got two conflicting courses and favour Graystone's route as it lines up with the road approaching the Walton site from Leyland.
Date: 22/06/2006
Name: Bryn Buck
E-mail: Bryn2k@aol.com
Comment: An excellent website - it makes you wonder what`s buried in the county archives and is it available to the public?
Date: 16/01/2006
Name: David Ratledge
E-mail: david.ratledge@env.lancscc.gov.uk
Comment:Asrar, Sorry it`s taken a while to discover but it looks like the A6 was detrunked 1977/8
Date: 05/01/2006
Name: Asrar Hussain
E-mail: asrar.h@ntlworld.com
Comment: Does anyone know when the section of the A6 between Preston and Lancaster was detrunked? Thank you in advance.
Date: 31/10/2005
Name: David Ratledge
E-mail: david.ratledge@env.lancscc.gov.uk
Comment:Jim, I am not aware of any research into the Lancaster-Richmond Turnpike. Presumably it improved/bypassed Ogilby`s route?
Date: 30/10/2005
Name: Jim Cooper
E-mail: jimcooper@clara.co.uk
Comment: I am involved in a local archeology group who are carrying out some investigations in the Ingleton/thornton area of N Yorks on the boundary with Lancashire. We interested if there has been any research undertaken wrt the Lancaster to Richmond Turnpike?
Date: 19/09/2005
Name: David Ratledge
E-mail: david.ratledge@env.lancscc.gov.uk
Comment:Geoff, The route from Fulwood to Kirkham is well attested. There is even an old reference c1300 to Watlingstrete in Lea.
The 1845 OS 1:10,000 maps show its course - double lines where it was visible and single lines joining the visible bits up. It crossed Savick Brook just west of the railway to Lancaster. To see the 1845 maps use MARIO - mario.lancashire.gov.uk
Date: 16/09/2005
Name: Geoff Gradwell
E-mail: gradders@gggcd.demon.co.uk
Comment:Roman Roads - I live at Lea. I have always wondered about the Roman Road to Kirkham and its route. Looking at a present day O/S map, following the dotted line of the possible route from Ribchester it appears to run down the present day Watling Street Road. If you run a straight line along this `path` and similarly a straight line along the `Kirkham` Road they seem to dissect somewhere north of Savick Brook in Lea. The route almost certainly must have been disturbed with the building of the canal and railway. I also wonder where they might have crossed Savick Brook itself. Has any recent research established anything in the area to confirm these hypothoses? Just wondered.
Date: 31/08/2005
E-mail: david.ratledge@env.lancscc.gov.uk
Comment:Paul, Junction 2 of the M55 was to be for Preston Westerly cancelled about 10 years ago
Date: 28/08/2005
Name: Paul
E-mail: paulsykes23@hotmail.com
Comment: What happend to junction 2 of the m55 ?
Date:18/04/2005
Name: Criag Evans
E-mail: craigevans2@msn.com
Comment: When the M6 was widened to 4 lanes in 1994 is it true that there was temporary lighting in the central reservation all the down the M6 from Broughton to Warrington?