22 BURTON, ANCIENT AND MODERN. 
Street and the Derby Turn, for Derby Lane or Lichfield 
Lane as it was then called, was, I believe, little more than 
a bridle path. The original road must have been con- 
structed after the Roman fashion in as nearly as possible a 
straight line from Streethay, about two miles this side of 
Lichfield, nearly to Clay Mills, leaving the site of Old Burton 
fully three quarters of a mile to the east. We may feel sure 
that it would have been otherwise had there been in 
existence anything like a town here. The road would have 
been made in a straight line from Branstone to Burton, 
and thence at a slight angle from Burton to Monk’s 
Bridge or whatever point might have been chosen as most 
convenient for crossing the Dove. We can see for our- 
selves what has taken place since the original road was 
made. Burton sprang into existence and by degrees 
increased in importance. A road was made from Burton 
to join the old high road at Branstone and thus lead to 
Lichfield, and another to join the old high road at some 
point to the northwards. This latter might have been 
along the line of Anderstaffe Lane past Wetmore, but more 
probably the line of Horninglow Street would be taken, as 
leading not only into the Derby Road but also direct to- 
Uttoxeter and the north-west through Tutbury. And as 
Burton went on increasing, travellers between Lichfield and 
Derby would find it a convenient half-way stopping place, 
and would think it worth their while to come that way, 
even though it added about a mile and a half to the length 
of their journey. And so by degrees the old road from 
Branstone to the Derby Turn would be neglected, deserted, 
and finally abandoned. If we could say with any certainty 
when the Branstone Road and Horninglow Street were 
first constructed we should be able to establish undoubtedly 
a date when Burton had begun to exist as a town. But 
the first fact I want to impress upon you is that in the 
times of the Roman occupation—at any rate at the time 
