iltelantrta Castle, I3crl)gsi^ite, 



By RoBT. Hamnett. 



ELANDRA CASTLE is situated at Lower Gamesley, 

 Charlesworth, in the ancient Parish of Glossop, Derby- 

 shire. Melandra is a Roman name derived from the 

 Greek Melandryon, which means "a herb among 

 corn, with a white flower."''' We know that the ancient Britons 

 cultivated corn, and it is quite probable when the Romans selected 

 this site for the station, the herb might have been so prevalent 

 there as to induce the Romans to give it this name ; but, 

 according to William Thompson Watkin's Roman Cheshire^ the 

 proper name is Lerdotalia or Ledrotalia. It is, however, better 

 known by the name of Melandra Castle. Glossop is surrounded 

 by hills belonging to the British Alpine Range, and, prior to 1792, 

 there were no turnpike roads through it, only pack-horse roads 

 and footpaths, consequently, it was diflScult of access, and, 

 apparently, escaped the notice of antiquaries. 



I am not aware that anything was known of its antiquities 

 before July, 1771, when the Rev. John Watson, Rector of Stock- 

 port, visited Melandra Castle, and identified it as a Roman station. 

 He wrote a letter to the Rev. Mr. Norris, Secretary of the Society 

 of Antiquaries, London, describing his discoveries, which that 

 gentleman read to the Society on the loth December, 1772, and 

 which appears in full — with a sketch of the plan of the station, 

 and translation of an inscribed stone — in Vol. IIL of Archalogia, 

 '775- 



* MfAai'SjuDoi' = the heart ill oak timber. Perhaps so named from the 

 abundance of stout oaks in the vicinity. — Ed. 



