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and Yorkshire, right away to Dover. From the great road from 
York, over Stainmore, leading to Carlisle by way of Penrith, there 
is a branch from Brougham to Kirkbythore, which striking from 
Kirkbythore, almost due north, goes nearly over Crossfell top. 
Still continuing its northerly direction, and dropping down towards 
the Tyne valley near to Whitley Castle on the border of North- 
umberland, it continues its course on to the wall which it strikes at 
Carvoran, or Green Head, from which it still goes on right to 
Bewcastle and thence into Scotland. You can trace this road for 
miles over the great wastes over which it passes still—in dry seasons 
in particular. Owing to the soil having been disturbed, the herbage 
is quite of another kind, short and grassy as compared with the 
heather by which it is bounded. For miles on the east side of 
Crossfell you may follow through what is now one vast solitude, 
although no one can do so without thinking of the wonderful 
people who once ruled there, and made those ancient solitudes 
_ echo and re-echo to the prancing of the war horse ; and that upon 
those craggy heights fluttered the banner of Imperial Rome. The 
market town of Alston, as many of you will know, is planted on a 
steep bank of the Tyne. The main street is remarkably steep; I 
do not know what the gradient may be, but few market towns have 
so steep a main thoroughfare. This Alston street has always 
been a severe strain upon horses with heavy loads. 
Now there has very lately been laid down in this main street of 
Alston a paved causeway in the centre of the street, to relieve 
heavily-laden horses—an exact fac simile of the old Roman system 
for getting heavy weights up steep gradients, and this was the great 
principle laid down in the construction of the Maiden Way over 
Crossfell nearly two thousand years ago. These roads varied in 
width from four to fourteen yards, crossing the rivers and streams 
mostly by fords. The Romans did not build bridges, except 
where positively needed. I do not think any remains of a bridge 
have yet been found on this mountain range. The road generally 
consisted of a regular pavement, formed by boulders or rock laid 
; in gravel, and joined together. 
The Maiden Way over Crossfell, which I have already dwelt upon, 
