
Recent Wiltshire Books, Pamphlets, and Articles. 327 
Wansdyke the course of the Roman road is in a straight line between 
the top of Morgan’s Hill and the south end of Lansdowne, 18 miles 
distant . . . Beyond the Calne and Devizes Road the ground falls, 
and cultivated land is entered upon, and a hedgerow followed by a parish 
boundary marks the line, and there is little other trace of road or dyke 
for 13 miles, when it appears more plainly for half-a-mile to the south 
of Stockley . . . Hedges followed by parish boundaries continue the 
line, and looking back from near Wans a straight line of hedges can be 
seen rising out of the lower ground towards Morgan’s Hill. On nearing 
Wans the hedgerow and parish boundary bend towards the north, and 
soon the latter is the only trace now left of the Roman road, though 
Sir R. ©. Hoare’s map (1819) shows the ridge to within } of a mile of 
the lane, which the parish boundary joins about 60 yards south of the 
cross-roads and follows across the Calne road. Then the ridge of the 
Roman road is plain in the belt of trees on the east of the grounds of Wans 
House . . . The ridge bends round to the house, and there it is 
effaced for 200 yards; but the parish boundary marks the line of it on 
the Chippenham road . . . At the Chippenham road Spye Park is 
entered, and for about 300 yards, where the ground was formerly 
ploughed, a low undulation of the surface is all that remains of the 
ridge. It then appears plain for + mile, five or six yards across the top 
and four or five feet high, having on the northside traces of a ditch with 
a ramp or counterscarp outside, showing the modification of the road by 
the makers of Wansdyke. A steep-sided valley appears to have been 
erossed by winding up stream and back again to the same line 
The ridge continues for a quarter-of-a-mile on to another valley, beyond 
which there are no further traces within the park . . . There are 
some indications of the ridge outside the park, and in less than a mile a 
line of hedgerows with remains of the ridge here and there and followed 
by parish boundaries takes up the same straight line for upwards of 8 
miles. From Bowden Hill the entire course to Ashley Wood is in sight.” 
Speen to Gloucester. This road enters the county at Baydon, where 
“it re-joins the present road and follows it through Baydon. In the 
beginning of the 19th century the Roman road is described by Bishop 
Bennett as presenting an elevated crest raised many feet above the 
downs in various parts. Beyond Baydon a parish boundary follows the 
present road for a mile and continues on in the same straight line for 
4 mile further to Peak’s Down and then the Roman road is traceable 
across the down in the direction of Wanborough Plain Farm . . 
The road thence turns due N.W., and runs straight for Calla’s Hill, 
34 mile to the E. of Wassiiavan hy, and then a straight road is entered 
upon which passes through Stratton St. Margaret’s, to Blunsdon Hill, 
seven miles distant. On this length of road 14 miles from Stratton St. 
Margaret, and three miles due east of Swindon Station is the junction 
of the Roman road from Winchester. . . On Blunsdon Hill there is 
a slight turn and a straight road runs to Caleott Bridge, near Cricklade. 
There is now an interval of nearly a mile at Cricklade, in which, how- 
ever, portions of a causeway across the meadows were dug up at the end 
